I was born in Port Talbot in 1954 and, after raising my two children, studied ceramics at Swansea Metropolitan University, gaining a BA(Hons) Ceramics in 2002.
A passion for the figurative has been a continuous thread throughout my life, from early childhood memories of drawing pictures of my family to the present day, creating heads in clay.
I have a wide range of influences and interests including classical and primitive sculpture. The tribal theme running through much of my work appeals to my sense of design and love of pattern while the concept of the mask with all its connotations of identity, overt or hidden, I find interesting and inspiring.
The heads are slightly larger than life-size - approximately 18" / 46cm in height and are individually constructed with large clay slabs. I keep the form relatively simple with minimum expressive detail, and add bold or elaborate designs with the use of glaze.
The African tribal heads and some of the female heads are raku fired which, due to the unpredictable nature of the process, provides an element of spontaneity to the work. I have recently been developing barium matt blue glazes and black bronze glazes fired in oxidation in an electric kiln.
I aspire to create work that is well crafted and pleasing to the eye and touch. If it also provokes an emotional response from the viewer, even better! JJ
