Firstly, thanks for coming. I didn’t want to be too art college-y, but thought I owed myself a little context.
I’ve been practising photography purely for pleasure since my late teens; I’m now nearing my mid-thirties. I studied Art & Design for seven years, culminating in a 3D Design degree from UAL.
I spent about four of those seven years specialising in ceramics. I never got on with sketchbooks; being a very tactile person, I almost saw them as a chore. Instead, I drew from my environment to produce my pieces; rather than a sketchbook, I worked from a camera.
Back then, I was drawn to anything that I could influence a surface. I photographed natural textures and repetitive patterns; elements of those images made their way onto the clay. With one short year left of my higher education, I decided to teach myself woodturning.
Really though, what’s the matter with me?
After moving from Cornwall for studies, my changing environment led to a shift in perception. Hard edges, aggressive shadows and constant motion replaced the soft, slow countryside. After living in cities for over a decade, my way of seeing has naturally developed alongside.