I left the business world and career when my children were born and entered the ceramic industry as an enthusiastic amateur, attended classes at various studios and masterclasses to learn and expose myself to the skills level enabling me to open my studio in 2003. Initially, I worked with glass before turning my full attention to clay, first as a teacher for adults and children and then full-time producing unique and bespoke porcelain pieces. The completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Art History and Ancient Art at the end of 2021 fed my hunger for ongoing learning and studies will continue with further research in 2022.
In my work it is my intention to create textures that compel touch, provoke memory and the shadows cast by the interplay of light are an integral part of each piece enhancing the quality of the clay. As life evolves, my work too evolves and once created, each piece is a path to an expression which possesses an essence of life, a statement of being. The ethereal qualities of porcelain are my passion, and the exploration of the material is an ongoing journey. New work explores the reaction of acid on the clay body as a masking agent combined with the use of soluble salts to enhance the designs.
I embarked on a new journey in 2020 when building a wood-fire kiln during COVID lockdown with Christine Williams and it has taken me to avenues of exploring raw materials for clays and glazes suitable for reduction and atmospheric firing. In the process, I have learned so much more about fire, the art of painting with flames and the natural phenomenon of ash glazing. The darker and heavier clay bodies that I now also work with, lean itself towards heavier pieces, where the shapes are enhanced by the surface decoration of the firing process. I am inclined to leave deliberate fingermarks on these pieces – a statement of my making and being.
A visit to Millstone Pottery in McGregor in 2005 was my very first introduction to wood-fired ceramics and I was fascinated. The work by Kitaoji Rosanjin at the Kyoto National Museum which I saw 10 years later, woke my slumbering passion for wood-fired ceramics and I built my first wood-fire kiln in October 2018, a small philosopher’s kiln. In July 2020 a new kiln, Meraki, a downdraught fast fire kiln was built at the studio of Christine Williams in Krugersdorp using recycled bricks from the kiln by late Chris Patton.
Collections:
- Ceramics Museum, Aveiro Portugal 2016
- 5th Changchun International Ceramics Symposium, China 2016
- National Museum of Slovenia, 2015
- Ceramics Museum, Aveiro Portugal 2013
- Bloemfontein War Museum South Africa 2013
- Cluj International Ceramics Biennale, Romania 2013
- KERAMEIKON Collection of Contemporary World Ceramics, Croatia 2012
- Corobrick Collection Pretoria 2011
- Korea Ceramic foundation 2011
Awards & Competitions
- Oct 2017 – 3rd Cluj Ceramics Biennale (2017) Cluj-Napoca Romania
- Oct 2017 – XIII International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics of Aveiro, Portugal
- Aug 2016 – Ceramica Multiplex 2016 Croatia
- Nov 2015 – XII Bienal de Cerâmica Artística de Aveiro, Portugal
- May 2015 – III Triennial of Ceramics UNICUM 2015 Slovenia
- July 2013 – Cluj International Ceramics Biennale 2013 Romania
- July 2013 – 11ª Biennial International Artistic Ceramics Exhibition Aveiro, Portugal 2013
- Aug 2012 – SA Handmade Collection Decorex – Gold Award, Best Stand South Africa
- Aug 2012 – The Iconic Handmade Piece South Africa –Decorex Gauteng South Africa
- Aug 2012 – Ceramica Multiplex 2012 Croatia – Honourable Mention
- Aug 2011 – Decorex – SA Handmade Collection – Award for Best Product Design South Africa
- Aug 2011 – CSA Regional Exhibition – Highly Commended Award South Africa
- Jun 2011 – Gyeonggi International CeraMIX Biennale 2011, Korea – Certificate of Honor
- Apr 2011 – 9th International Ceramics competition Mino, Japan – Honorable Mention
- Oct 2010 – CSA National Exhibition – Best Porcelain Piece South Africa
- Aug 2009 – Icons – Decorex – SA Handmade Collection South Africa
Residencies: July 2016, 5TH Changchun International Ceramics Symposium, China
Other exhibitions include:
- May 2022 Of Mothers and Madonnas Exhibition, Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria RSA
- Feb 2022 After the Rain Group Exhibition, Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria RSA
- Sep 2021 A Fling with Spring, Tina Skukan Gallery, Pretoria RSA
- Aug 2021 Wood-fired & other Ceramics, Featured Potters, Association of Arts Pretoria RSA
- Jun 2021 Desire – The Cape Gallery Cape Town, South Africa
- Jun 2021 Hermanus FynArts Hermanus, South Africa
- Jun 2021 Luminaries Artbox Gallery, Pretoria RSA
- May 2021 Fabergé Inspired, Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria RSA
- Sept 2020 Fyn Arts Select, Hermanus, South Africa
- June 2020 Gallery Synergy Online Exhibition
- Nov 2019 Connected by Fire Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville Cape Town RSA
- Nov 2018 Ceramics Southern Africa National Biennale Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville Cape Town RSA
- Sep 2018 Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa
- Jun 2018 Hermanus Fyn Arts Hermanus, South Africa
- Feb 2018 Legacy Exhibition, Three Potters and a Painter Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Dec 2017 International Celadon Exhibition, Huamao Art Museum Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China
- Dec 2017 Association of Arts Plate Exhibition Pretoria, South Africa
- Dec 2017 Let there be light Exhibition II, ArtBox Gallery Pretoria, South Africa
- Oct 2017 3rd Cluj Ceramics Biennale (2017) Cluj-Napoca Romania
- Oct 2017 XIII International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics of Aveiro Portugal
- Oct 2017 Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2017 Decorex 2017 Gauteng, The South African Craft Collective Gauteng, South Africa
- July 2017 The David Walters & Friends Exhibition: Art in Clay, William Humphreys Art Gallery Kimberley, South Africa
- Dec 2016 Eat, drink and be merry pottery exhibition, Association of Arts Pretoria, South Africa
- Nov 2016 Tellus Sculptura Exhibition, Association of Arts Pretoria, South Africa
- Nov 2016 Ceramics South Africa National Biennale University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- Oct 2016 Let there be light Exhibition, ArtBox Gallery Pretoria, South Africa
- Aug 2016 Decorex 2017 Gauteng, The South African Craft Collective Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2016 CERAMICA MULTIPLEX 2016 City Museum Varazdin Croatia
- July 2016 5TH Changchun International Ceramics Symposium China
- Nov 2015 XII Bienal de Cerâmica Artística de Aveiro Portugal
- Oct 2015 CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng FADA, Gauteng, South Africa
- July 2015 The Promenade: Healing in Nature. Co-Exhibition of Icheon World Ceramic Center and the National Folk Museum of Korea Korea
- July 2015 Giftex Tokyo, Japan
- July 2015 Decor & Design Melbourne, Australia
- June 2015 Forms of Expression Hermanus Fine Arts, Hermanus, South Africa
- May 2015 III Triennial of Ceramics UNICUM
- Slovenia
- May 2015 Index Dubai Dubai, UAE
- May 2015 Exhibition- Rika Herbst & Stephen Graham Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Oct 2014 Art Exhibition The Leonardo Gallery, Moreletta Park Pretoria, South Africa
- Oct 2014 The Name Of The Rose Exhibition Rust-En-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville, Cape Town, South Africa
- Jun 2014 CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa
- May2014 Index Dubai Dubai, UAE
- Apr 2014 Decorex CT Cape Town, South Africa
- Mar 2014 Decorex Durban Durban, South Africa
- Mar 2014 Art Exhibition, Annica’s, Michaelangelo Towers, Sandton Gauteng, South Africa
- Oct 2013 Cluj International Ceramics Biennale Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Oct 2013 11ª Bienal Internacional de Cerâmica Artística de Aveiro 2013 Aveiro, Portugal
- Aug 2013 Decorex JHB Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2013 Women in Clay Art in the Forest, Cape Town, South Africa
- Apr 2013 CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa
- Apr 2013 Fragile – The Porcelain Collective Liz Loubser Gallery, Risidale, South Africa
- Mar 2013 Design Indaba Cape Town, South Africa
- Feb 2013 Ambiente – The Loft Frankfurt Germany
- Nov 2012 KulturZentrum Kapfenberg, Austria
- Nov 2012 Translucencies Art Afrique Gallery, Sandton, South Africa
- Aug 2012 Decorex Gauteng Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2012 CERAMICA MULTIPLEX 2012 City Museum Varazdin Croatia
- May 2012 CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa
- Mar 2012 Design Indaba Cape Town, South Africa
- Feb 2012 Ambiente – The Loft Frankfurt Germany
- Dec 2011 Af – L’artigiano In Fiera Milan, Italy
- Sep 2011 9th International Ceramics Competition Mino, Japan
- Sep 2011 Gyeonggi International CeraMIX Biennale Korea
- Aug 2011 Decorex SA Handmade Collection Gauteng Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2011 CSA Regional Exhibition Eduardo Villa Museum Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa
- Apr 2011 Easter Exhibition Ou Lettere Building, University of Pretoria, South Africa
- Feb 2011 Ambiente – The Loft Frankfurt Germany
- Jan 2011 The Cube at the Clay Museum Rust en Vrede Gallery Durbanville, South Africa
- Oct 2010 CSA National Exhibition Grande Provence Gallery, Franschoek, South Africa
- Aug 2010 Decorex SA Handmade Collection Gauteng Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2010 Echoes Exhibition The Art Place, Randburg, South Africa
- Aug 2010 CSA Regional Exhibition MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa
- Nov 2009 Coming Together at Christmas Craft & Design Centre Gauteng, South Africa
- Sep 2009 CSA Regional Exhibition Eduardo Villa Museum Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa
- Aug 2009 Decorex, South African Icons Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa
- July 2009 Pace Craft & Design Centre Gauteng, South Africa
- July 2009 African Landscapes in clay Association of Arts Pretoria, South Africa
- Feb 2009 The Art of Green Living The Peech Hotel, Gauteng, South Africa
- Aug 2008 CSA National Exhibition UJ Art Gallery, Gauteng, South Africa