I have played with clay and glazes since 1978 and during most of that time I have lived in Cairns. A lot of my ceramic artworks have been inspired by my surrounds – the reef and rainforest. Frequent travels throughout the Middle East, South-East Asia, Japan, China, Russia & Europe observing traditional techniques, visits to major museum collections of Sung Dynasty ceramics and exposure to modern innovations have provided an ability to approach works with a flexibility to adjust techniques to reflect ideas – or perhaps moods.
For some years now I have been working on a series called “Ceramic rainforest inspired forms”. I have wanted to give my pots, texture, flow and movement. To do that I have been using paper clay which makes it possible to make intricate forms related to seeds, bark etc and after experimenting with various glazes I have developed a mat chrome glaze with various amounts of chrome oxide to give my shapes and forms the changing colours of the rainforest and a certain glitter.
All the works have been fired in oxidation at varying temperatures from 1200 to 1280 degrees C.
