Cré Dubh

I begin each piece with black clay, throwing the pot by hand on the wheel and shaping the vessel until its form feels right to me. Once satisfied, I bisque fire it and apply my own unique glaze mix, which contains copper compounds. The piece is then raku fired - a process that allows for spontaneity and surprise. Using a series of carefully honed, secret techniques involving cycles of intense heat and rapid quenching, I draw out extraordinary colours from the surface of the clay. The results are always unpredictable, always vivid. I call this body of work Cré Dubh - a name that reflects both the dark clay at its heart and the rich, elemental story told in every piece.