A few years ago I had the privilege of spending six months in New Zealand. The first three months were spent on Great Barrier Island, a remote and beautiful island off the coast of Auckland, while during the second three months I travelled extensively, seeing as much of the amazing country as I could. The whole experience has been completely life changing for me and has also had a profound and inspirational effect on my art.

Whilst on Great Barrier Island I was very fortunate to meet a local potter who let me buy some clay. This enabled me to make direct pressings of the amazing plant life around me, in particular the ferns and tree bark. The potter fired these for me so that I was able to bring them home. I also brought back a selection of shells from which I’ve made further pressings, and a variety of driftwood. These have been the inspiration for this latest body of work comprising wall hangings, tiles and bowls. The majority of the relief textures you see on the work are the positive impressions of actual New Zealand flora and fauna. For the inside of the bowls I have used glazes that try and capture some of the amazing colours of water that I saw in New Zealand, from volcanic emerald lakes to the sun glittering on the sea.

Whilst exploring the coastal landscapes of New Zealand I spent quite a bit of time clambering over rocks enjoying the rich and varied colours and textures of the life I found there. The theme of “encrustation” was already present in my work prior to the trip. However, seeing the wonderful rock formations and at times man-made objects such as rusty pipes, encrusted with oysters, barnacles, seaweeds and other life forms has led to some new work which is currently on going.