A traditional Maltese limestone townhouse, complete with patterned tiles, is where I spend my busy working week as a ceramics designer and maker with a BA Hons Degree in Ceramic Design from Glasgow school of art. Originally from the British West Midlands, I moved to my adopted Maltese home in 1989 and started working with clay in 1993.  For many years I worked part time in my own studio, but quit my paid job as a Pottery Manager at the end of 2014 to throw myself fully into my own business.

I work mainly in producing wheel thrown ceramic functional ware, I also make slab built pieces, since buying my slab roller a year ago,  but it probably only contributes about 10 percent to my work. Stoneware is my main clay of choice which I import from Stoke in Trent in the UK, the clay has a fine amount of grog and as I’ve been throwing with it for about 17 years I’ve grown very used to its characteristics and the way in which I can manipulate it, we have quite a good working relationship.  I also use an earthenware chocolate black clay, again from the UK, this I use when I want some drama added to my pieces, it’s rougher and grittier than my stoneware and leads me down a totally different path when designing and making objects; it speaks a different language.  I make all my own glazes from raw materials, this I do because I feel it gives me more control over my colour palette and makes the finished work more personal.  I then fire in one of my electric kilns to around cone 6.  

A main area of my business revolves around designing and creating table ware for local restaurants and chefs.  During this process I find myself working the personalities of the clients into the ceramic items; taking into consideration how they will be used and by whom, this always drags me into finding new ways of working and overcoming problems and stretches me as a designer and maker.  As most of the chefs are at the top of their game, they demand originality and perfection.  Hand made ceramic functional ware stands out in a restaurant environment; no two items look exactly the same, it stimulates the senses; the feel of the work, its appearance, even the sound when a knife and fork come in contact with it.  Restaurants can serve as an interactive exhibition space.   

I feel I have more freedom in my work and expressing myself when I’m creating items for private clients and off the shelf pieces.  Most people that order or buy my ceramics for their homes want it because they connect with what I do and allow me to design and create without imposing their own ideas.   I understand that this will still need to conform to their surroundings but I feel as if they would like a version of me to also be present.   One of the constant traits of my work, apart from the bright detailed glazes, is my love of texture.  Clay begs to have texture, it’s in its nature.  If you run anything over its surface a texture is created, I find this exciting and enjoy playing with taming it into something that’s aesthetically pleasing.  It could be capturing something from nature and repeating that on the clay form, or dragging tools around a pot on the wheel, I just find it adds depth and intrigue, it pleases me to know that people can experience my ceramics through touch alone.