I work with sheet glass which I cut into the desired shape. I generally use two pieces of 3mm/4mm or 6mm glass if inclusions of metal are to be used. The larger and thicker the item the more space it needs in the kiln and the longer it takes to fire. The very large square pieces only allow space for one other item in the kiln and take three days to design, fire and cool down. Some items are fired twice in order to mould their shape, for instance the spherical shaped bowls, the 8" squares and the 14" square. I also make my own moulds which need to be reconstructed every few firings.

Inspiration for my designs started with my love of Italy and its rustic feel. This was reflected in my use of pure pigments of ultramarine, red, and yellow and the use of bold shapes – all of which produced a vibrant impression. My colour-ways then evolved into more subtle, fluid translations of lilac, pale green and turquoise. I also introduced aluminium leaf. I then began to introduce more and more metal leaf and am now at the stage of experimenting with the different effects of overlaying metal.

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