Path and Inspiration
Valerie grew up on the south coast of England, attended Winchester School of Art. She now works from her garden studio in Kew and she is obsessed with the energy and motion in waves and aims to engage the observer in this. Nature and the growth of plants and fruits in particular, also inspires her to portray movement and growth created by unfurling buds, pollination, fruit forms and carnivorous plants. The observer is invited to imagine the next state beyond the visual form. Some cleavages
Process and Practice
Valerie uses her own plaster moulds for some forms created in hand built stoneware, other are pinched or hand modelled, e.g. the complicated 'Pod Pourers'. She mixes some of her own glazes - particularly the vibrant barium blue. Others are commercial brush-on glazes. Some details are embellished with gold or pearl lustres.
She also enjoys throwing wide bowls, that she also sees as an expression of a growing form.
