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Looking back after 20 years at Cockpit Arts I realise that I have come full circle with my work and that my true love of nature is apparent throughout. After my foundation course I began an HND surface pattern course at Cleveland College of Art & Design which taught me how to draw very precise floral drawings and turn them into designs for textiles and wallpapers for industry. I found the course to be constraining on my creativity and opted to transfer onto a degree course at Bradford  School of Art which was more fine art based where I could...

The Handmade Festival was a great show to exhibit at and we were incredibly lucky with the weather too. Three days of September sun put everyone in a buying mood. The companies on either side and in front of me were lovely so I went home having made some new friends like Adam and Justine from Fantasy Wire.     The Handmade Festival is hosted by both Channel 4's campion of Craft Kirstie Allsopp and Liz Earle from Liz Earle Beauty Brand and brings an inspiring collection of creative people and skilled makers to celebrate all aspects of both contemporary...

In July 2017 two of my lovely customers decided that they would like to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary with an individually hand crafted bracelet and bangle for each of them.The bracelet could be feminine but the bangle had to retain a masculine feel so we decided to place the aluminium inside the bangle where it would remain partially hidden. Aluminium is the metal to celebrate a ten year anniversary and it was decided that we would use July's birth flower the Larkspur to decorate the aluminium. The blue colour chosen suited both of my customers so I used some...

I was lucky enough to be given a personalised tour of the Voice and Vote exhibition at the Houses of Parliament by merchandising manager Linsey Davies in September. I finally managed a visit the exhibition with my good friend ceramicist Timea Sido.   The exhibition is very well thought out and takes you through the history of the women's suffrage movement. Of course part of the reason for going to the exhibition was to see the Women's Suffrage jewellery collection I had created for the exhibiton. Although the lovely Deneke from Hidden Art had been kind enough to send me...