NOXIOUS

 What has inspired the works/the concept behind it?   

The title of this year’s piece is 'noxious' meaning poisonous; the form has organic qualities such as the repetitive spikes protruding on its surface which imitate thorns or spikes that we often perceive as a warning sign of danger. In plants they are a defence mechanism, armour to protect its vital organs. A rose for example, develops horns and in animals a hedgehog uses its spikes to deter predators. Humans also display defensive characteristics whilst under threat. The spikes on 'noxious' are a representation of defensive behaviours that are evident throughout nature; they reveal a smooth form, timidly protruding outwards, its true nature squeezing through layers of instinctive defence. It's reluctance to fully emerge reflects the struggle many of us find to feel safe and confident in our own skin, physically, and in our own mind, mentally. Pressures in society influence how we should dress and behave this in turn can be poisonous to our true nature. 

 Are there any themes that run through the works?   

'Noxious' is also a representation of gallery rules and restrictions, the work mustn't  be touched,  However the majority of my sculptures may have textures that seem fragile, such as the spikes, but are in fact deceivingly robust. Contrasting textures feature throughout my sculptures, the tactile nature encourages the viewer to explore the form with touch.

What materials/processes have you used to make the work? 

With this piece I hand built the basic form with stone wear coils, let it dry to leather hard and carved it back to give the impression of layers. The spikes are then added individually using coloured slip and the smoother surface was sanded down once the clay had become bone dry. Once the piece had been fired and glazed, I stripped back the crackle glaze, leaving the faintest crackle pattern; this was to give the work a more organic feel.