In my day job, I help creative people – architects and designers – to run their businesses better, and I help those looking to appoint an architect or designer find the best person to meet their needs.  As such I spend much of my time supporting others to make the most of their creative endeavours, finding an outlet for my own creativity, I have chosen the art of making from ceramics. I am self-taught, and still taking hesitant steps towards understanding what it means for me to be an artist.  As I suspect it must be for all artists, this is an intensely personal experience, and not one that can be readily taught – for starters it seems to evolve and change almost on a daily basis.  

Balancing the pressure to create meaning with the simple joy of making

For my own work, I don’t think that it is particularly helpful to consciously think of creating something ‘meaningful’.  I know others are driven by delivering a strong social or political message but, for me, I want to create things that are founded on an interpretation of universal givens such as shape, colour, texture and geometry.  If I strive for any sort of meaning, then it is to create works that explore the juxtaposition of these primal elements; the act of making is very much a part of that process.  Yes, there are tensions when bringing together each element of a piece, but this is driven by my desire to create something that is indisputable rather than something that is full of meaning.

Making is tough.  Especially today, where we are increasingly driven – and distracted – to seek endorsement and referrals from a world where instantaneous clickbait images determine so much of how success is evaluated. There will be those who follow the algorithms and play the game of superficiality to promote their wares, and good luck to them.  I prefer to chase a deeper understanding of what it is that intrinsically makes a work of art resonate with the human consciousness, to explore what makes something ‘reassuringly perfect’, ‘achingly beautiful’ or ‘forever timeless’

Exploring geometry and pattern as a path to something ancient and universal within humans

It seems that we live in a world where our senses are constantly overstimulated and overcrowded, often with trivial but loud and competing forces.  I know that if I am to create work that resonates with myself, let alone others, then I need to block out the vagaries of day-to-day living and understand the more primal energies that underpin what it is to exist. This could be interpreted as an instinctive desire to connect with something ancient, but I think there is also a pragmatic side to this approach: I genuinely believe that without this grounding, my work too would be trivial.

I have chosen a particular path for my explorations. My work is not an overt commentary on the human conditions of the day.  If it reflects human nature at all, it is through the most primitive way that we are all influenced by the base elements that will frame our existence for as long as there is light in the universe: shape, colour, mathematical pattern making, and texture.  It explores the relationships between these unassailable certainties and draws inspiration from the geometries that can bring order to their potentially chaotic and random interactions, with the aim of also invoking some primal response in myself and my fellow humans. This is what drives my approach to art.

Artisanial beauty and harmony support well-being, for the maker and the viewer

When I am making, harmony, and beauty are the driving forces.  They are not always achieved but when a piece is imperceptibly balanced it gives me a deep sense of achievement and pleasure.  I remember delivering an exceptionally harmonious piece to a collector who welled up with tears that were as wonderful as they were unexpected. That was a moment when I realised that I had the power to affect emotions through my work.

 The shapes I create have symmetry to soothe the senses, but this is embellished with twists to create fluid and changing perspectives. The colours generate intricate patterns that caress the shapes, playing with geometries to create movement and trompe l’oeil effects.  The rough, smooth and shiny textures have different luminous qualities, so each piece subtly changes character as the brightness or angle of the falling light changes.

Redefining well-being through creative practice: its meaning to Caroline.

For me, making is an intellectual process as well as being manual and technical.  It draws from all aspects of my being and can therefore be both surprising and difficult to finesse – most success is achieved when I create a piece that is balanced.  I have a day job running a business that facilitates others as they create better environments for us all to live in.  While this job draws on my creative energies, it is nothing compared to the intense focus of creativity, and therefore wellbeing that comes from making my own art.

The combinations are endless, and some pieces are more successful than others.  I know that the nirvana of perfection is unattainable, but the hope is to offer work that continues to surprise me as well as others and is both intriguing and joyful.

Does the world need more makers? 

Probably not, although I think the world would benefit if more people could find the time to explore their creativity alongside their other activities.  What I do believe is that the makers of this world need to be more influential.