This new body of work is centered on a  botanical framework and is a major departure from my figurative work of the last decade in both form, style and materials. I felt the need to shake things up and dedicate time to exploring the alchemy of glaze work, which is central to the execution and visual success of this work. I began with mixing up an array of glazes last year, requiring much testing and firing, to come up with a glaze vocabulary to work with.

This new work holds decorative influences from Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movements, as well as the work of Bernard Palissy. Greek and Roman high relief tablets serve as inspiration. Narrative and context come into play in subtle and sometimes subversive manner through the use of symbolism and bold color. Art history, myths and fables animate the work. Some works are purely decorative explorations of glaze chemistry. The foundations are based on slab tablets and cylindrical forms, which all vessel shapes originate from. I  am interested in the cylinder as a container and its potential to play a part in the narrative. All the elements in this body of work are made with an extruder, connecting the works through a distinct visual vocabulary.