I found an interesting technique for making plates fairly quickly on the wheel.  I use a French-style rolling pin (basically a thick dowel) to make a flat circle of clay on the wheel.  Then I shape the rim. If all goes well, I can make 3-4 plates in 30 minutes or so, which feels very productive! 

Never give up!

I discovered that I had dabbled with slipcasting as a child!  My mother found a small pot I made many years ago, using plaster and a mold that came as part of a toy arts and crafts set.  The piece wasn't fired, so it's amazing that it survived all of these years.  I had forgotten all about it until my mother found the piece during a clear-out.  Finding it made me realize how happy I am to have discovered pottery again.

I listen to podcasts in the studio.  My current favorites are "Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone" and "The Blindboy Podcast".  Both are comedy podcasts, which make me laugh out loud in the studio.

I grew in Ireland, and have lived in the Boston area since university.

I took a one-off pottery class to try something different. I was immediately hooked, and began looking for a studio to take classes. I found Potters Place and my first class was with the very inspiring Henriette Dresens in 2019. I continued taking classes with Henriette, Joyce Lauro, Robin Potter and Gay Calo and became a member of Potters Place in Spring 2021.

My main inspirations are other potters and their works. From the often anonymous makers in museum collections to the Great Pottery Throw Down to the members at Potters Place, there are thousands of years of creativity in ceramics to fire up the imagination.

I enjoy throwing as I find the process very meditative even if everything goes wrong with the piece on the wheel! I also enjoy hand-building as it still amazes me what can be created with a simple ball of clay. At the moment, I am trying out a Japanese handbuilding technique called kurinuki that Joyce Lauro introduced me to. This involves taking a lump of clay and carving it inside and out to create the desired shape. The traditional form is a cup, and I very much like how my first attempt at a cup turned out

Relaxation, accomplishment (sometimes!) and delight always.

The biggest lesson for me in ceramics has been learning patience. Pottery is not an instantaneous art. It has been an adjustment for me to become accustomed to the process of making, drying, firing, glazing and re-firing.

I greatly enjoy the challenges of working with something completely different to anything I have done before. The hand-building process is very relaxing and enjoyable. And, while throwing can be frustrating for me, it can also be restful, particularly when I let go of my expectations.

The biggest challenge has been to let go of perfection. I try to focus more on the process than the result.

I’m a big fan of film noir!

It's always been a challenge for me to make big pieces, so I am very happy with this plate I made in Gay Calo's class. It started out with about 4 times the amount of clay I usually use, and now it has pride of place as a fruit bowl in our kitchen. It was a new technique to me and I hope to make some plates and other items using this method soon.