ABOUT ME

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful"  - William Morris  

​

I grew up in the north east of Scotland but now my home and pottery studio are on Torö, a small island at the southern end of the Stockholm archipelago.  From sparkling granite and heathery hills to boundless forests, water and its accompanying wildlife, both Scottish and Swedish influences are reflected in my work.  I draw upon textures, shapes and colours found in nature, as well as the odd household item, to create decorative and practical pieces for the home.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

I work in stoneware and without a wheel, mostly using the slab technique to form shapes from clay that's been rolled flat.  It's such a tactile medium, I love the contrast between how malleable it is as a raw material, with endless possibilities for creation, and then once finished that form is captured forever, each texture and undulation set in stone. 

​

Every item is hand formed and left to dry until leather hard before the detail and edges are finished off then it's left to dry again for several days.  The first 'bisque' firing removes any residual water and converts the clay to a semi-vitrified state upon which glaze is applied and then it's fired again.  I use a range of glazes and metal oxides brushed on in various thicknesses and combinations to achieve the colours and textures shown in my work.