My ceramic art is directly influenced by my passion for garden design. They are all made in stoneware and high fired to 1240C meaning they are robust for winter conditions. See here a range of pieces made for the garden.
What instrument could represent garden work more than a spade. It is also a challenging build, standing at 107cm tall
. To fit in my kiln I had to fire it in two pieces which are joined half way along the shaft. The comes standing with an oiled mahogany base, or can be ‘dug’ into the soil to stand outside.
Carved into the texture of the surface is an ivy climbing up the spade.
Below is a second barium-blue spade that remains outdoors dug into my vegetable beds.
See above the same spade featured in the ‘Bloom in the Park’ garden Festival in the Woodies Garden ‘From Moving Statues to Marriage Equality’ designed by award winning designer Brian Burke. Draped on the spade is a ceramic Rosary beads symbolising how the gardener has answered the call to prayer.
Above: Spade with floral texture embossed in the surface. The spade stands freely on a mahogany base, or can be ‘dug’ into the soil as in the blue spade below. 107cm tall, stoneware and frost-hardy. Available.
Below: Spade with a blue barium dry glaze over gives a textured finish. 104cm, Sold.
This wall-mounted planter features a cluster of sempervivum plants that need little attention but attract much. Sold with plant.
Hand built to 27 inches high and 18 wide, this is the largest size that can fit in my kiln. Maxed-out. Sold.
This pot was inspired by ‘Io’ one of the moons of Jupiter. It was built with several coloured clays and later thrown on the wheel, low-fired, unglazed, earthenware of 36cm high. 34x41cm. Sold.
I greatly enjoyed making a small series of trumpets. Measuring over 50cm in length, the tubes are hollow and so one very flat note can be blown. Seen here hanging from a tree, the trumpet will also stand free on the horn as in the second photo below. Sold.
Pumpkin Series, from 34 to 41cm, Stoneware, Sold
Moss Pyramids, 25x25x33
Ready To Conquer, Garden Chestnuts, Stoneware, Approx 20×12 cm.