About

“I thought clay must feel happy in the good potter’s hand”

— Janet Fitch, White Oleander

My journey to ceramics has been long and circuitous.

My childhood was spent in Russia, in St Petersburgh, or back in the day, Leningrad. Folk art was a kind of national heritage, from brightly coloured golden wooden spoons, to lacy carvings on old Dacha houses, Russian woolly black scarves with gaudy pink roses, Matryoshka dolls, wonderfully illustrated fairy tales books by Bilibin. Against the general drabness of the 60’s and 70’s this served as a happy contrast. My Uniform was a muddy brown and I longed for some colourful materials. No wonder I now have a passion for colour.

I fell in love with clay when I was 18, at college, and have always dreamt of being able to do ceramics full time. Surface decoration on clay, playing with layering glazes, slips, under glazes and firing a vessel several times to bring out variations of colour have become integral to my ceramic work. I use a variety of techniques, although hand built pieces or vessels built on moulds are my preferred method of construction.

My work is often textured. I use oxides as an under layer to the glazes because I want to be surprised. Someone once said: ‘everything an artist makes is a metaphor’ and I strongly agree. Be it images of fantastical birds, fish, berries, turnips, or garishly painted wooden spoon – I want them to bring, playfulness, vibrancy and sheer exuberance to the pieces I make. Russian craftsmen expressed folk motifs drawing on familiar images and characters through every different medium; wood, lace, textile, metal, ceramic….and their use of colour often had symbolic meaning echoing Orthodox icon painting. Later the Russian suprematist artists like Malevich had their own version of the folkloric culture, themes, and colours. I also attempt to have a contemporary take on the energy and joie de vivre this tradition engages.

I was very lucky to be tutored by Robert Cooper and Ruth Franklin who opened up, encouraged, imparted knowledge and challenged me along my ceramic journey at City Lit, London, and to them I truly grateful. I work in stoneware clay, as well as black smooth and textured clay to conjure the Russian ‘Palech’ black lacquer wares. Mostly I make one off, functional and decorative pieces or unique ‘families’ of pieces.

Exhibitions:

20-20 Jackhouse Gallery, Portsmouth

2021 - The Great Kitchen - Chichester Cathedral

About

Info