My work consists of disparate sculptural elements, making reference to human and animal bodies and exploring ideas around anthropomorphism. This could be a large, arching, twisted torso, skin gathered and pulled tight, the figure appearing frozen in mid-movement. Or a bright terra cotta fox, caught in a graceful slump, with intricately carved lines bringing it a sense of calm and fluidity.
My use of clay and ceramics is key. The tactility and substantiality of the material creates an intimacy, reflecting the closeness I develop with each piece during the making process. There is an immediacy to working with clay; my ideas can be instantly impressed on the material. My inclusion of other media, such as wax or metal, undermines the preciousness usually associated with ceramics, subverting the expectations of the viewer.
I aim to convey a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty through the forms. The partial figures play with presence and absence, alluding to what is missing, producing bodies that are both beautiful objects and unnerving new forms. Wax feet with their curled toes are intended to unsettle the viewer and bring a jarring undercurrent to the work. They are both alluring and slightly repellent. Usually hidden from view, they are laid out strangely, seemingly independent of any whole body.
Delicate textural details make up each individual sculpture, with each piece then coming together to form one spatial narrative.