April 2026 Monthly Analysis of Progress

This month's analysis of progress is less based on my Learning Agreement and more a commentary on what I have been up to marked against more personal and business-based progress.

The main 'event' of the month was UCLAY Ceramics. This is an exhibition of alumni, staff and artists in residence connected to the University of Lancashire Ceramics department over recent years. Second-year students put together their work in progress in a couple of cabinets upstairs from PR1 Gallery. We had one shelf between the three of us to fill, and then another shelf each. The event proved interesting from a personal perspective.

Aside from seeing all the amazing work from the ceramic artists involved, I found the process of displaying my work to be an unexpectedly positive experience. I gave little thought to what I would display and simply took lots of bits and pieces upstairs and then arranged them to be viewed from all sides in my allocated cabinet. I gathered narratives (displayed and printed), drawings, extruder dies, test tiles, mini heads and some larger pieces of work. I had one shelf but used the empty bottom shelf to display my drawings, as Shenac had done in her cabinet with Lucy.

The surprising thing was when I came back to see the completed displays during the private viewing, I was actually pleased with what I had cobbled together. It made me see my work through different eyes and I could see my own process laid out before me. Kind of similar to looking at the work of a student I didn't know and seeing what they were working on, trying to achieve and how they were working through it.

It was cathartic and it has helped my confidence in seeing my progress so explicitly. More importantly, it made me realise that my practice is perhaps more cohesive than I had given it credit for. I tend to focus on what still needs doing and where the gaps are, but seeing the various components displayed together made me appreciate that the narratives, drawings, technical tests and finished pieces are all supporting one another. Rather than a collection of disparate experiments, they are beginning to resemble a recognisable body of work.

Our last written assignment is due in during the summer and takes the form of a poster containing images and written work on our own practice. It's been laborious and difficult! Difficult because there is little work to photograph at present, and laborious because it's taken much mental trawling to complete the one and a half thousand words.

That said, I did enjoy the research that ensued to gather relevant quotes. I looked at Grayson Perry as, although not a huge fan of his work (I definitely appreciate it, but don't wish to own any), I agree with his stance on art needing to be enjoyed simply for what it is. I have written a separate blog about this, so won't repeat it here.

Interestingly, researching and writing the poster has forced me to articulate things that I often instinctively know about my work but have perhaps never consciously verbalised. Having to explain my intentions, influences and processes has made me reflect more critically on why I make the decisions I do. I suspect the writing process has been as valuable as the finished poster itself.

Suffice to say, I've broken the back of the work on my poster, presented it to the MA groups and had a very interesting time listening to others in my group describe their work.

I always find listening to other practitioners discuss their work enlightening because everyone approaches making from such different perspectives. It serves as a reminder that there is no singular route to developing a practice and that uncertainty, experimentation and changes of direction are entirely normal parts of the creative process.

Now I just need to get making so that I can get photographing and then updating both pictures and words in time for the hand in.

This month has seen yet more research into glazes. Specifically, a low to mid-fire transparent matte glaze recipe. I've searched in books, online, in forums and asked around and I simply cannot find one. Moreover, I have had several responses saying I'm searching for the holy grail and that one doesn't really exist and I'm better off buying a proprietary one.

I've got to the point where I think I am better off sticking to the high-fire one that I know works. I was just trying to be more environmentally aware and fire my work lower. It will have to go on a back burner for now as I have so many other strands to bring together.

This has perhaps been an important lesson in itself. I have a tendency to pursue every avenue simultaneously and occasionally I need reminding that progress also involves recognising when something is not currently serving the practice. Parking an idea does not necessarily mean abandoning it. Rather, it allows me to focus my energy where it is likely to have the greatest impact. The environmental considerations remain important to me, but at present they are competing with many other technical and conceptual developments.

I have completed the glazing of my mini heads and cameos. The cameos I hoped would work, the mini heads were just maquettes. I'm happy with neither.

To summarise, the dirty glaze effect I still like and I think it works for the most part. The crackle glaze works only on the white clay and when inked to show the imperfections. However, the shine detracts from the dirty wash and looks awful over the black background on the cameos. The black clay with the cream engobe looks dreadful, but the grey clay with the dirty wash looks okay. The coloured inks don't work well at all, so I'm scraping that idea altogether.

Additionally, the cross-hatching surface design technique to catch the dirty wash looks poor and I don't think it was necessary anyway.

On reflection, not the greatest list of successes, but, as ever, I've confirmed that I prefer a matte finish and still like the dirty glaze technique. Coloured clays could be a way forward as these look quite good, depending on the piece.

I am increasingly recognising that failed tests are often more useful than successful ones. Whilst I have produced little that I wish to replicate exactly, I have eliminated numerous possibilities and clarified my own preferences considerably. I now know more definitively what I don't want my work to look like and that feels like genuine progress. My aesthetic is becoming clearer through a process of rejection as much as discovery.

Alongside posters and builds, I have been looking in depth at my branding this month. My website needed to be overhauled before Ceramic Wales in June. This I have carried out and I now have a nifty contact form, a new colour scheme and pictures that are more relevant. These are temporary until I have photographs of more relevant work to put up there.

I have also designed myself a new logo and have sent this off to be made into a stamp for on my work. This will also feature on my website when I next refine a few snags I have noted.

Finally, I designed and ordered some new business cards. These are only temporary and are for Ceramic Wales, but I can update them accordingly when I have better photographs of my work.

Historically, I have tended to think of branding as something peripheral to the making process. However, I am increasingly viewing it as another layer of storytelling. The website, logo and business cards all contribute towards how people encounter my work before they even see a ceramic piece. As my practice becomes more narrative-driven, it feels important that these elements communicate something of the same atmosphere and character as the work itself.

Artist research this month has been low on the agenda. I have done some online research on new followers (that post is now at nearly 25,000 views and 230 new followers) which has been fun.

I also further considered my visit to Oriel Glasfryn Gallery in North Wales last month.  Specifically my being impressed by the curation of the ceramics on display. I will definitely be going back there again and I'm looking forward to the new works by End Times Pottery Club coming on display soon.

I think I am becoming increasingly interested not simply in individual artists, but also in the environments in which work is presented. Good curation can fundamentally alter the experience of viewing ceramics and can give work permission to be unusual, narrative-led and challenging. Seeing galleries willing to embrace this kind of work is both inspiring and reassuring.

Finally, I have been drawing several new pieces to make. I'll leave these in abeyance until I have built them though. Suffice to say, they are larger pieces and include a tableau and some strong narratives.

Increasingly, I seem to be moving towards larger and more ambitious narrative works. The ideas themselves are becoming more complex and layered and this feels indicative of a growing confidence in my practice. Whether I currently possess all the technical skills necessary to realise them is another matter entirely, but I suspect that slight gap between ambition and ability may actually be productive. It gives me something to strive towards and a direction of travel.

Will there be anything left to do for May?!