Biography
I am a designer and maker of high quality porcelain and stoneware ceramic slip cast items including lighting and 'kitchenalia'. My pieces have been created from conception to production and are unique one-off pieces. My work is produced in England under the 'Outlandish Creations' registered brand name.
After years working in London in a variety of jobs; a Japanese bank, an auction house, a large land agent selling fine country houses and for an internet design company, I decided to leave and embark on a new adventure.
After spending time with Paul Jackson the ceramic artist, whilst undertaking a workshop, he inspired me to take up a place studying Studio Ceramics at Falmouth College of Art. As soon as I arrived in Cornwall I knew this was the environment I needed to study and establish myself as a designer. In September 2002 I began my course at Falmouth College of Arts, as it then was.
Seeing how my work has developed over the years at Falmouth has been interesting. I began making moulds, throwing and hand building. When I left University, as it had become, I was producing moulds and slip casting had become my passion. I began by using found objects, for example rocks from the beach, I then inserted lights inside the porcelain rocks and drilled holes to create an abstract yet functional source of architectural furniture.
Other more complex work includes the riding crop and the love bead chandelier which were made with complicated moulds and were incredibly fragile pre and post firing. Falmouth gave me the perfect base for my career being a University that offers a contemporary and sustainable approach to learning. We were taught to experiment and develop our own individual style. It often meant learning through making mistakes and overcoming difficulties. Throughout my time at Falmouth I used a variety of techniques when creating pieces, learning and experimenting through throwing, hand-building, glazing, adding decals and through other techniques. I finished my degree in Falmouth in 2005. My work had evolved from producing porcelain rocks to giant porcelain love bead chandeliers!
I am extremely passionate about my work and my practice. I am conscientious and put my whole heart and my mind in to my work. My future inspirations include working with more unusual and subversive decals. I will continue to base my work on porcelain and lighting in particular as well as producing more of my famous tea cups and saucers. I also have a number of commissions which I am busy with.
I have spent time travelling throughout Asia, Australia and South America gaining valuable knowledge of foreign culture and history, I am a keen linguist and speak French, Italian and Spanish. I taught English for three months whilst living in the Galapagos archipelago and also led tours in South America. Scuba diving is one of my passions and I adore the ocean. I find inspiration in design through my love of the kitsch and the unique. I enjoy raiding junk shops to add to my collection of original curiosities but most of all I love being creative.
