About Me

Art and creating some order out of chaos has been a major part of my life. The stages that one passes through from birth onwards are broken down into various periods of activity or inertia. In my case there have been few quiet periods, the throwing of oneself into work, pottery, painting, sculpture and interspersed with what my father would have termed real work.

I painted, I made pottery, landscapes, and large ceramic forms. Press moulded, thrown, even vacuum formed and in welded steel etched with tortoises, phoenix, and human forms. I was always interested in the latter, that, and owls. I did well at art college and at the end of 5 years my parents saw my graduation show with horror and was commiserated with by my head of department who saw my work similarly to them. Others saw my work differently and I passed with distinction, I further gained a licentiateship of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and that with distinction as well. Many in my year felt I did not deserve that honour, but it left me with a surety I had something. I hope I still have.

Art school prepared me for little but a glittering career, this did not materialise, so I made pots at my cottage in Norfolk, also painting and put on exhibitions, one man shows, and group shows in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff, Cornwall, and Norfolk, I taught night classes at Swaffham School. I went to Southwest Cork to paint and make pots and for two years showed in Cork, Dublin and in the UK, but that ended. I came to Gloucestershire and worked for Social Services and became involved in the environment in a way, CPRW and CPRE, also the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. This was not the most ideal of times, I developed a studio in Chepstow and painted all the time I had free. I showed locally and had a notable one man show in London, and one in the US. I had one brilliant student apprentice, who went on to do amazing work at Hereford Collage of Art. This period ended when I was offered a job to recreate gardens in North Yorkshire, develop and restore a landscape. This time was not so idyllic as one had hoped it might have been, but I painted and as ever made friends who are still in touch. I have always managed to keep friendships alive.  

From this point life changed, I was involved in the environment in a growing period of public interest. I ended up in Newark with Friends of the Earth and involved in the Green Party in the Midlands as well as locally. I learnt so much during this period. I am open to people even if I may not agree with them: this allowed me to not frighten the politicians and instead we became friends. This was useful later. 

I painted and started making ceramics again, a wonderful workshop and had shows locally and again in London. 

One wet December night I had a meeting in an upstairs room at the Kings Arms in Newark. Two anglers, one a part blind ex miner and the other a retail space designer changed my life. The River Trent was badly polluted, and I lived on the bank side. I was asked if it could be changed, brought back to life. The answer was that I would give two years of my life to the project and with agreements and success Clean Rivers Trust was formed to work on rivers and waters, everywhere where we are needed.  To find methods to pollution and put such solutions in place has been a life’s work so far! From the Trent bankside to Newark itself saw the paintings change, less sombre and with light, the years looking out of the studio windows always allowing fresh ideas to come to mind. sculpture. 

I have travelled, originally for pleasure but now many trips have purpose, to learn and understand problems and if I can help find solutions to issues get involved. Not environmental imperialism as I have heard it called but interested interference. 

Today I continue working on Clean Rivers Trust projects that have been some of the most challenging and exciting adventures in environmental science that I could have hoped for. Breaking new ground and even winning an award!