I first started pottery in 1974 midway through a degree in architecture and while I did complete the degree I was already committed to pursuing a career working with clay.

 

After completing a fine arts degree majoring in ceramics I built a house and workshop in the hills, 30 minutes drive east of Perth (the capital of Western Australia) where I am still located.

 

The next five years were very busy with exhibitions and trying to establish an income from gas fired, thrown pottery as well as making the transition from being a student to being a full time potter.

 

In 1985 I was offered the opportunity to coordinate the ceramics at one of the TAFE colleges in Perth and subsequently spent the next 17 years lecturing. I have also participated in numerous group shows and had a number of solo exhibitions of my own work. Around 1985 I also started my involvement with wood-firing and for the last 20 years wood-firing and salt-glazing have been the main focus of my personal interest.

 

I have built and fired gas, oil and wood-fired salt kilns and have built a number of wood kilns from 30 cubic foot Olsen / fast fire style kilns through to 600 cubic foot anagama style kilns.

 

I have recently stepped down after nine years as President of the Ceramic Arts Association of Western Australia and in that role in 1999 I was chair of the organising committee for the 9th National Ceramics Conference held in Perth (400 delegates from all over Australia and overseas).

 

!n 1992 I worked with Svend Bayer in Devon, England, for four months and visited potteries in the UK and France.

 

In 2002 I participated in the St Croix Valley Studio Tour in Minnesota, USA, at the invitation of Jeff Oestreich.

 

I am currently lecturing in ceramics and design at Central TAFE Perth. I have demonstrated and taught workshops extensively throughout Western Australia, as well as in Minnesota, Utah, USA; France, Holland, Denmark, Portugal, Japan and Singapore.