My family farm forms the starting point for my work. I have always been intrigued by the numerous mechanical and agricultural objects in use on the farm, and how their interlocking parts come together in specific ways to facilitate function. I was also intrigued by the accompanying diagrams that provided visual maps of the fit and fixing of parts and how they seemed to echo the ordinance survey maps of the place that outlined where things lay and how they were connected.
My work is a response to this curiosity, where the mug becomes a vehicle to explore notions of function through creating relationships between slip cast ceramic objects and eclectic man-made farm-yard finds. Scavenged elements are repurposed, their vital role on the farm conceded in considering domestic practicalities, while functional and aesthetic boundaries are pushed to pique the viewer’s curiosity. Reminiscent of the 2-dimensional diagrams and maps, grooves (colour), bands, shape, text and symbol infer how these mugs might relate and connect together, leaving room for imagination and play.
