Throwing has always been my prefered technique because of its instancy. You begin with a lump of clay and a few minutes later you have a pot to lift off the wheel. I extrude my handles which makes them more uniform and pots are then fired to 1000 oC which is the biscuit firing. Each pot is then dipped in glaze and fired again to 1260oC. The firing is the slow part of making pots as it takes between 8-10 hours to reach temperature and the same again to cool down.
I have always preferred straight lines rather than the more traditional bellied pots and my shapes are based on the old pewter beer tankards. Although clay is a very fluid material to work with I like to give it the feeling of strength with its form. I chose the simple motif of a Celtic spiral, applied with a sponge, to decorate my Cornflower and Willow ranges.
In 2005 I relocated my workshop to Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny and I began producing my new Silk Range which was greatly inspired by travels to the southern hemisphere. This range is more simplistic in its design which fits in with the more contempory lifestyle. Although I have my three main ranges I am continually exploring new ideas with my gallery work and encourage customers to ask for the unusual. I have always had an interest in lustres which are liquid metals and look at different ways to use them on my gallery work.