I work from a small studio at my home in Swansea producing individual ceramic pieces. Most of the work is hand thrown on an electric wheel. I throw mainly bowls, using a fine white earthenware clay and like to decorate with bright colours. Shape and colour are the things that influence my ceramics most and I frequently use slip trailers and scraffito to add decoration. I apply the glaze at the raw stage and then once-fire to 1100 degrees Celsius. The natural world is my main source of inspiration. Walking by the sea, time spent in gardens and the countryside forms the background to the shapes and colours I choose. Everyone is so busy these days, I believe that taking a little time out to appreciate the world around us certainly enhances our lives. Handcrafted items can become important to us because they hold something of these influences within them. Owning a carefully chosen item becomes a source of pleasure and enhances our home environment.