Fine Art & Crafts at UCA

There are many stages to go through to get to an effective finish. It can make a big difference to how impactful the piece is and how well the craftsmanship quality is perceived... The satisfaction of achieving a good polish is incredible.

I may not have the ability to be a doctor or politician, but I can use my platform to help inform folks and give them a handy talking point, to make them smile and to raise money for worthy causes along the way with the skills that I do have.

[I was sent] a photo during the installation of the exhibition and my work on the wall was next to some vessels by Ken Eastman, whose work I have coveted for years and years! There are so many artists I have looked up to for inspiration in the show... It’s been a great thing to be part of, and I’ll be forever grateful to Ashley for everything he’s done.

I always felt like I was a ceramics rebel at UCA - ignoring typical ‘rules’ of ceramics - but I gained the foundational skills and modes of thinking there that were so important in shaping how I think about my practice today... This was in a large part thanks to the influence of the faculty and visiting artists there, who both challenged me and supported me.

My fondest memories really are the excitement of being in a workshop, with the noises, the smells, the flames...That excitement stayed with me all through my studies and beyond into my career. When I walk into a workshop it still feels like that. Everything is a bit grubby and yet what comes out is so precise and beautiful and what people treasure forever.

[When I joined the industry] if you did want to be creative and design driven, you had to face the fact that it was a niche market. If we were to start Stephen Webster today, I think we would probably find a lot more places that our jewellery could go than I could 30 years ago.

My course drew me towards working for people and organisations that are passionate about bringing art to more people... While I was studying at UCA, we were encouraged to go to exhibitions regularly, and that exposure had a huge impact on me.