After 25 years as a teacher I went back to school myself to study on the Traditional Art MA course at The Prince's School of Traditional Art in London. I had the most amazing, transformative two years there learning many new processes and skills. In my second year I specialised in ceramics and glass focusing particularly on traditional Iznik boat designs and on the stylized birds found in Cypriot pottery. I came to PSTA with a strong interest in geometry and stained glass and had the opportunity to develop these greatly, too.

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Traditional art uses traditional materials and techniques.  It also has certain visual characteristics that are the same worldwide, although the work itself may look very different.

Traditional art is: 

Stylized – i.e. not naturalistic. It captures the idea or essence (eidos) of something rather than its outward, 'realistic' appearance.

Symbolic/Poetic – Traditional art seeks its fundamental principles from the natural world; its symmetry and geometry, and its meaning to us as humans.

Impersonal – i.e. not about the artist, but about the principles they transmit (although I guess it is about the artist when this is not successful!) In most traditional art the artist is not identified.

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My studio is in Dorset, UK, where I spend my time designing, developing and making handmade items in a range of media using these principles.