I hand-build solitary or grouped sculptural objects and vessels from porcelain and stoneware clays which act as metaphors for emotional and physical states as well as interpersonal relationships.
I am fascinated by antiques and collectibles - discarded and found objects with a patina of age and wear. The worn, scarred or damaged surfaces of such items bear testament to their use and give rise to imagined histories. A personal inclination to acquire and display series of objects is reflected in my work and has encouraged an interest in the concept of ‘collecting’ – relationships that exist between individual elements of a collection – and in what we deem ‘valuable’.
Inspiration is drawn from ‘beach-combings’ found on the shoreline near my home in North Kent and from fine art, poetry, fiction, fairy tales, nursery rhymes and song lyrics.
Ceramic and found materials are carefully combined to emphasise the implied narrative in each grouping.
The apparent fragility of the objects I make – often in the process of disintegration – reflects a heightened awareness of the cycle of life, the passage of time and human mortality.
Image credits (from left): ‘Grey Cup' (Alison Swan), ‘Something Borrowed' (Alison Swan), ‘The Rivals' (Alison Swan)