East Durham Artists Network

Ceramics, what has it ever done for me? ... 

 It changed my life!    

Sadly, my ceramics journey started with someone’s death. It wasn’t just anyone’s death but my mother’s my “Mam” as we call them in the North.    

In 2001 my Mam suddenly passed away, the shock and loss of a parent is always hard to cope with and I wasn’t coping very well.    

My life at that time as an I.T. Manager was to go to work and solve computer problems, then come home and just think about missing my Mam. There seemed to be no way out of the sadness. This couldn't go on and after a few weeks of this misery I decided I needed to break the cycle.    

I thought an evening class would give me something to occupy my mind. I saw a Ceramics class advertised. I went along with some trepidation, thinking “what have I signed up for?” After all, I considered myself to be a “techie” rather than an “artist”.   

In the class I was seated with 4 ladies who were around the same age as my Mam and they laughed and joked the whole time. They reminded me so much of my Mam, but in a much happier time.    

They brought laughter back into my life and the sudden realisation that I enjoyed ceramics helped me to cope with grieving for her, suddenly life seemed a whole lot better.    

More importantly, every time I start making a ceramic piece it always reminds me of my Mam. 22 years later it still does and I have a huge smile thinking of her.  After a while I signed up for even more courses but this time at the National Glass Centre.     

Every time I either make a ceramic piece or look at the many pieces either in my house or the homes of people who have my art, I think of my Mam. Not with sadness but with a huge smile and I say thank you to her.    So, this story isn't really about me it's about my Mam, who started my journey but sadly never got to see any of my ceramics.    

My career was in computing, did I like it, well yes but my soul is in ceramics, do I like it, just ask my Mam she knows. This is why all of my ceramics are dedicated to her.