Driving to and from my pottery lessons I was enjoying alone time I hadn’t had for a lot of years being a stay at home Mum. Listening to my own choice of music again was the most blissful freedom. I hadn’t realised how much I had missed it. Growing up my Mum had always played us Rock’n’Roll music from the 1950’s and thereafter. I never grew out of loving it.

Beats, drumrolls, guitar riffs, piano, saxophone solos and harmonicas all provoke images in my head. Lyrics do too. I found myself wanting to paint the images and feelings my favourite songs conjured up. It’s usually in a more literal, pun-like way as opposed to any deeper meaning from the song.

Pattern, collage and painting are things I’ve loved since childhood. Almost everything I make will feature some rice paper transfers. These are the intricately patterned pieces added in my paintings or a feature on their own (not everything I make is music themed). Muddy Mitts allows me to bring together my many loves. I’ve never been able to choose just one creative outlet and didn’t feel my illustrations were that special on their own. Ceramics are the perfect canvas for my style of painting.

There are many processes in ceramics and I do them all myself. Everything from Muddy Mitts has been dreamt up, handmade, painted and glazed by me. They are made with care and joy to be useful and treasured.