As a surface pattern designer, I create my designs through hand painting, CAD manipulation and ceramic decal application. I am interested in how I can combine my surface decoration skills with my newly developing 3D ceramic skills. I am interested in creating made by hand one-of-a-kind pieces by developing 2D surface decoration onto ceramic surfaces, utilising laser cut stencils and plaster moulds, with layering of pattern, texture and colour. I am an eclectic designer inspired by nature, and love to layer different influences and imagery into my designs. I often combine these with pops of colour and quirky twists.

I have travelled to Japan on several occasions, where I fell in love with Tokyo, its street culture, eclectic style, decorative arts and heritage, and how the beauty of nature and storytelling is represented through pattern and colour. I would like to apply these influences in my pattern work. Specifically, I have collected historic Japanese pattern books that I intend to use as a key creative source.

My proposal is to initially develop a series of exploratory tiles utilising laser cut stencils and plaster moulds to create new decorating processes to inform my future work.

After many years as a successful industrial designer, I have realised that my time spent working hands-on with clay at The Clayrooms has ignited a new interest in making which I would like to develop for my future work practice. I have been employing carving as a decorative process as it requires concentration and focus, and I want to expand this personal aspect of making – and mindful engagement - into surface decoration experimentation. This opportunity would enable me to explore decorative techniques more expressively. I want to work directly with ceramic materials and processes; where I have previously been “hands off” I now very much want to be “hands on”.