In January 2023 I decided I was going to apply to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. That year the theme was ‘Only Connect’ which is a quote from EM Forster’s novel Howard’s End.
'Only connect' for me is a big subject as I believe we are all connected. My initial thoughts for this project were about the connections between people - positive and negative, and how these forces shift. In some relationships they may jostle with each other on a daily basis.
When making this piece I was thinking about lots of different connections: Connections between people - Personal and global connections. I was also thinking about the connection between the land and the sea.
Once the piece was illuminated I could see patterns in the surface of the porcelain that made me think of shooting stars, or looking at the sky through a very strong telescope. This in turn made me think about our connection with space and the Universe and reinforces my belief that everything is connected; Humans, Animals, Earth, Sea, Sky and beyond what we can see - into outer space.
Making this piece was a beginning in a new confidence in the way that I work - applying textures and glaze colours in a stronger and much bolder manner.
