About Mandy's Work
How can we value things more than we do today?
Mandy strives for her work to have a purpose and to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Her pieces are raw-glazed and once-fired to stoneware, dishwasher and ovenproof. She is currently producing functional ceramics for the London Canal Museum (Summer 2022).
Always curious and questioning, Mandy naturally explores different techniques, materials and forms, both sculptural and functional, responding to the world around her on personal and societal levels.
Mandy's inspiration for her final degree pieces (graduated in 2020) came from how the development of our society has affected our eco-systems. Her deconstructed and re-imagined ceramic designs were a response to our need to re-imagine our world in relation to climate change. She felt cutting and slicing vessels to recreate different forms first contemplated the sadness of destroying something familiar, followed by the creative energy required to rebuild in a new way.
Combining throwing and hand building skills, Mandy created pieces which were both sculptural and functional. During the build-stage, management of the clay was crucial to ensure parts are were similar states to reconnect. She used masking techniques to apply her striped designs directly on the dried clay in preparation for raw glazing. This method requires great care as dried clay is extremely fragile though enables once-firing to lower carbon emissions. Mandy uses an electric kiln powered by renewable energy, reclaims her clay, and minimises her use of water, plastics, and chemicals.
In a digital world where reality is often disconnected, Mandy believes bare clay visible in her designs gives her audience a connection with the material. The time taken to make each piece slows her world down to allow a mindful reflection of the processes. She appreciates simplicity, the value of less is more and hopes to stimulate conversations about how and why.
about mandy
Mandy graduated with an outstanding First Class award in 2020 from the University of Hertfordshire, School of Creative Arts in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, in BA (Hons) Design Crafts (Ceramics and Glassware). She has her own studio, wheel and kiln to develop her work.
She has previously studied glazes with Alison Sandeman at West Dean College, Chichester, (2019) and throwing with Sylph Baier at Le Moulin de Leymonie, Bergerac, France, (2018). More recently she spent a week at the Leach Pottery, St Ives, Cornwall on a throwing course with Kat Wheeler in October 2021.
The London Canal Museum is now selling her ice cream tasting pots and dishes, where she has been volunteering since September 2021, delivering talks on the Victorian Ice Trade and demonstrating Victorian ice cream making. As an educational charity, the LCM welcomes numerous visitors, including U3A groups, school groups and other educational institutions as well as commercial enterprises, such as 'Dinner', Heston Blumenthal's London restaurant. Mandy loves passing on her knowledge in a dynamic and interactive way and adapting to the variety of different visitor groups to LCM keeps her on her toes!
Mandy is also a member of the Dacorum & Chiltern Potters Guild and contributes to their outreach work by volunteering for their Community Clay Days and wider activities. She enjoys their social events and edits the DCPG website.
Use the buttons below to follow Mandy's work on Instagram or see her pre-ceramics career on LinkedIn.
