Ceramic is often seen as the ‘King’ of all crafts, but it’s just mud at the end of the day. As a silversmith, that makes me want to misbehave and find some way to trash it and incorporate it with metal. From figurines to animals, anything has the potential to fall victim to my misdemeanours.
What has developed comes from an uncontrollable process where the collision of molten metal with the fragile ceramic offers unique and surprising results.
A delightful eBay find. I wanted to experiment and use old, hollow figures and animals as moulds and where molten pewter is directly cast into the ceramics—actively embracing the element of risk, chance and failure.
WREN
Wren
Material Porcelain, Pewter
Dimensions 6 x 6 x 10cm
Year 2019
Location Private Collection UK
AMEN
Amen
Material Ceramics, Patinated Pewter
Dimensions 30 x 10 x 8cm
Year 2020
Location Private Collection UK
Are You Sitting Comfortably
I can’t help myself when I see these ridiculous figures in charity shops sitting there. There is only one thing to do: and that’s to knock their heads off! Hugely satisfying as the characters are so smug and pleased with themselves.
Are You Sitting Comfortably
Material Ceramic, pewter
Dimensions 18 x 10 x 28cm
Year 2018
Available
WOOF WOOF!
I’m slightly obssessed with Nymphenburg ceramics from Bavaria Germany. True quality and highly refined. A dream would be get into the factory, let’s see!!
This is a double casting as the dogs are individuals, they both fractured beautifully during the casting process…..way beyond my expectations.
WOOF WOOF!
Material Porcelain, Pewter
Dimensions 15 x 8 x 12cm
Year 2021
Location Private collection Germany
DROWNING MAN
A porcelain figure found in a thrift store in America. The first piece I made after my fathers death in 2018. Poignant, emotive and timely. Stuff happens through making and we should embrace it.
Drowning Man
Material Porcelain, Pewter
Dimensions 9 x 6 x 12cm
Year 2018
Location Private Collection USA
DUCK
Material Ceramic, Patinated Pewter
Dimensions 25 x 10 x 15cm
Year 2020
Available
DUCK
What came first the duck or the egg?
I’m not quite sure or what is skin, bone, flesh or feather? But I do know the more I look, the more disturbed I am about this half-cooked inside-out roasted toasted duck.
MENAGERIE
When you think about the types of birds you’d expect to encounter in London, a stumpy-legged grey pigeon or an increasingly rare sighting of a cockney sparrow are most likely to come to mind. However, when I wake up each morning, it’s to the noisy chatter of a flock of vibrant green parakeets – thought to be early escape artists from London Zoo. To me, there is something really pleasing about these exotic creatures becoming part of my everyday.
Menagerie
Material Porcelain, Pewter
Dimensions 18 x 10 x 8cm
Year 2019
Location Public Collection V&A UK
A few available
Title: Brainfart
Material Porcelain, Pewter
Dimensions 10cm x 8 x 26
Year 2019
Location Private Collection USA
BRAINFART
Ceramics can be viewed as the King of Craft. I’m interested in changing the balance of hierarchies and order. Blowing up ceramics and capturing the explosion allows me to create by being disrespectful and willing different disciplines to collide.
SHOT!
Material Pewter, lead
Dimensions 10 x 10 x 15cm approx
Year 2023
Location Available
SHOT!
Mr Lawrence was my parents’ boiler man. He was also part of a shooting club in Somerset, Great Britain. Every time we met he would march into the kitchen and present a brace of bloody rabbits. Unfortunately, he would hand them directly to me: like I would know what to do with these carcasses. Slowly over time I learn’t to skin, gut and butcher the rabbits ready for cooking. Still to this day I love cooking rabbit, very slowly in cider. However whilst eating I never enjoy finding spent lead shot in the now laced sweet flesh
Each bisque-fire Kaiser bunny purchased from Ebay has been exploded from the inside out by pouring molten pewter into the hollow forms. The rabbits have the exact amount of lead in them as you would find in 1 bullet (2.6gm).
The unique series SHOT! is still slightly poisonous.
Approach with caution!
TO THE KNACKERS YARD
This pair of Nymphenburg porcelain horse and rider figurines were made in Bavaria, Germany and arrived in their original boxes. By pouring molten pewter into their hollow bodies, the resulting explosions and ruptures are recorded through the casting process.
Original factory packing boxes are included
To The Knackers Yard
Material Porcelain, Pewter
Dimensions 18 x 8 x 16cm each
Year 2020
Private Collection Australia
VEILED
Material Ceramic, Patinated Pewter
Dimensions 10 x 10 x 35cm
Year 2024
Private Collection UK
VEILED
I have waited for over 2 years to find a Nymphenburg Porcelain Madonna & Child.
Sometimes a piece comes along and ticks all the boxes. I have no control over the casting of the pewter- it is done literally blind. Only as the unpacking of the aluminium foil progresses the final result appears. It’s where the magic is.
