I make saltglazed domestic pots, specialising in pots for making and drinking tea and coffee. These have been steadily evolving over the past 15 years or so since I started experimenting with open handles as an alternative to the closed loops conventionally used in ceramics. The handle continues to be the starting point for my designs which are otherwise influenced by my early interests in aviation and the precision of engineered objects, alongside a more recent interest in contemporary architecture with its varying approaches to the relationship between form and function
My aim is to make functional pots that convey a sense of movement and balance in the way they look and handle. The ergonomics of the pot and the clarity of its form are equally important: for a design to be successful the pot must be satisfying and pleasurable to use, whilst at the same time having the power to hold the viewer’s attention and interest
Most frequently in thrown pottery the sense of movement is generated by the quality of the throwing, evidenced by throwing marks or induced asymmetry. For these teapots of mine, however, it’s the articulation of the handle and spout and the relationship between them that I use in my efforts to achieve this. This also means I can throw and turn the bodies to express the precision like qualities I want without losing the pot’s overall energy in the process.