A little bit about me

I am a Canadian ceramic artist currently residing in the United Kingdom. I graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (NSCAD) in 2016 and apprenticed under renowned Canadian Ceramicist Jim Smith (2011 - 2017). After completing a year long residency in Vancouver, B.C. I moved to England where I now work full time from my lovely studio in East London.

My work

I make one of a kind sculptural vessels inspired by the 17th and 18th Century. Reflective of the artistic movements of these time periods, my work is a contemporary interpretation of objects that focus on extravagance and specificity. Memory and sentimentality also play a key contributing role in my creative process. More often than not, my pieces are designed for flowers. Either to create a unique display in a grand arrangement or a piece to highlight one specific type of bloom such as a tulip.

There is a French phrase, ‘Être fleur bleue’ or the Little Blue Flower, that describes a person who is a starry-eyed romantic; someone who is sentimental. ‘The little blue flower’ is a symbol for love, desire and the pursuit of the unreachable. I find beauty and a romantic sentiment in the simple pleasures in life, such as fresh cut flowers, writing a handwritten letter to a loved one or taking the time to mend a favourite garment that is worn down from overuse. My love of objects comes from the act of elevating these simple gestures into extravagant experiences that go beyond the ordinary.

I am the Little Blue Flower, the sentimentalist.

My Process

My pieces are thrown and altered, although I often describe my process as ‘hand-building with thrown parts’. I work with a semi-porcelain body that allows for a high level of manipulation and fire my work between cones 6 and 8. I have developed a series of blue, white and green glazes forming a palette of varying textures from crystalised satin mattes to high glosses. I manipulate the surface of my pieces to produce a water-colour effect on more ornate forms whilst other designs will showcase an elegant contrast of a white exterior with a coloured interior.  

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If you've got any further queries, would like to commission a specific piece or to arrange a studio visit, please do not hesitate contact me directly below.

Images: Images: Layton Thompson; Haley Mcphee Photography