ABOVE: Dragon and Egg
The Story of My Hands
I think I might have been born with a pencil in my hand.
Growing up in South Africa, my family was absolutely sport-crazy. Then, there was me. While everyone else was on the field, I was tuning into the rhythm of the world around me, captured by music, nature, and the urge to create. I quickly realised that being a creative wasn’t just a hobby or a career choice for me – it was written directly into my DNA. I simply cannot imagine existing any other way.
This lifelong obsession led me to the University of Natal Pietermaritzburg, where I graduated in 1993 with a BA in Fine Art, majoring in ceramics, painting, and art history, followed by a postgraduate diploma in art and technology education. I learned early on that my favourite piece of artistic equipment would always be my own two hands.
Then came the year 2000, and a massive shift: I immigrated to New Zealand.
Arriving in a new country at 30 years old meant completely starting over. I had to re-establish myself, find my footing, and learn how to communicate my creative voice in an entirely new context. For a while, I felt lost. But as I embraced the rich history of New Zealand art, the land began to speak to me. I found profound inspiration in local legends: meeting the greats like Stanley Palmer and learning about his printing on bamboo; studying the glorious, earthy crater bowls of Len Castle; and marvelling at the dramatic, sweeping linework of Ralph Hotere. My world became richer, and my visual vocabulary expanded.
Never one to stop growing, I went back to school as a mature student, earning my Master’s in Arts Management from Whitecliffe College in 2008. A few years later, in 2012, my world took a theatrical turn when I won the Outstanding Achievement Award at the NZ Body Art Awards. That win granted me a year-long scholarship to study Special Effects Sculpting and Production Design – proving that no matter how much you know, there is always something new to learn.
Shadows, Light, and Raw Clay
If you look at my practice, you will see a beautiful contradiction. It is, honestly, a love-hate relationship.
My first and truest love is clay. I adore the physical, visceral feeling of raw clay on my hands, and the industrial challenge of working with clay. Conversely, painting and glazing can feel like a hurdle – yet, the moment the motivation strikes, I get completely lost in the process and fall in love with it all over again.
I am a firm believer in pushing the envelope of my materials. I love to find innovative ways to reuse and recycle. In fact, I haven’t bought commercial clay in years. Every piece I make is born from recycled clay; I take old, dry, discarded clay from anyone willing to part with it and painstakingly reclaim it myself.
My current body of work bridges my two worlds. I am crafting large-scale, whimsical jugs and vases that reflect my early African aesthetic. They are alive with the intense colours, deep contrasts, patterns, and memories of the African bush and the natural world.
Yet, on the flip side, I am equally drawn to the quiet drama of monochromatic work. I love testing the boundaries of alternative firing methods like pit fire and raku. It is a humbling process. Ceramics is one massive, lifelong learning curve; just when you think you’ve finally ‘nailed it,’ the kiln gods will happily shatter your conviction and remind you that the clay has a memory of its own.
Community and Big Dreams
When I am not in the studio, you can usually find me giving back to the creative community that welcomed me. I spent three years as a board member for NZ Sculpture OnShore, helping raise vital funds for Women’s Refuge, and I have been deeply instrumental in developing the Arts Education wing at the Estuary Arts Centre.
And when I need to entirely clear my head? I hop on my motorcycle. There is nothing like riding to feel the freedom of the road and truly smell the world around me.
Though working full-time means my pieces usually appear in group shows, my art has travelled far beyond New Zealand shores, finding permanent homes in the UK, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and the USA. I’ve been honoured to have two ceramic works accepted into the prestigious Portage Ceramic Awards.
But the fire inside me is still growing. I am dreaming of bigger kilns, larger-scale sculptures, and one day, the ultimate dream: an arts residency in Japan or Korea. After curating the incredible Yakisime travelling exhibition for the Japan Foundation—where I had the absolute joy of personally unpacking over 100 historic, high-fired, unglazed masterpieces—I know my ultimate goal is to collaborate with a traditional ceramic master.
Until then, my philosophy remains beautifully simple: Don’t over-analyse. Just do it, feel it, and repeat.
