Wood, Metal, Clay, and More!
At the beginning of each year I like to play around with different techniques and different mediums to stretch my brain a bit after Christmas and start thinking about what I want to produce for the year ahead.
Wooden Altars and Painted Shelves
I’ve been painting tiny wooden altars and wall-mounted shelves, transforming scraps and offcuts from my husband’s carpentry projects into art. He’s a talented carpenter, and his leftover materials have become the foundation for my designs. I am combining painted wood with metalwork, stamping lyrics and quotes into aluminum embellishments.
I have been inspired by the colours and geometric patterns of the Bloomsbury Group artists, like Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Their approach to blending illustration with abstraction has encouraged me to push my own use of color and form.
Clay Club and Delft-Style Dreams
Monday mornings are sacred: that’s when I attend my clay club, a gathering of wonderfully creative (and delightfully bonkers) women. There’s something magical about starting the week surrounded by laughter, clay, and shared ideas. This year, I’m planning to experiment with Delft-style tiles and larger platters, which will give me more space to tell stories on my ceramic work.
Embossing Foil and Copper Prototypes
I’ve also been revisiting metalwork, but with a twist. Instead of hammering brass, I’ve been embossing foil—a gentler process that’s easier on my shoulders but just as satisfying. Meanwhile, my jewellery range is getting a refresh. I’m streamlining my designs to focus on some new copper prototypes. Playing with borax and patinas.