Why I chose ceramics
I have worked in the NHS for 20 years as an Occupational Therapist which included encouraging creativity and using art materials. I taught pottery sessions in units of people needing mental health support and found that clay, not only was therapeutic for my patients but I also loved using the medium. I chose to go to evening courses to develop my skills and continue the love of expressing myself through clay and glazing. The decision to leave and pursue a career in ceramics was daunting but inspiring as I felt I wanted to explore my own creativity after supporting others to do so.
I have been inspired by sculpture from an early age and never thought I would have my own studio or the opportunity to initiate ideas and plan out ceramic sculptures. I am passionate about the process of ceramics and the many stages that it takes to get a finished piece. Like many other art forms, working with clay and glaze means a lifetime of learning and gaining inspiration from nature, the environment and human bodies. For me clay can capture my internal world more than a painting can. I am more free to express myself shaping clay and have a certain amount of freedom, glaze dependant on feeling my way round colours, where as I feel more constrained by perfection with drawing and painting on canvas.
“When you slow down enough to sculpt, you discover all kinds of things you never noticed before.”
Karen Jobe