A lovely memory from school was the pottery classroom at my old comprehensive. A friendly light filled space where alot of handbuilt figurative claywork emerged and a happy, dedicated and driven pupil surfaced. Despite this however it's importance was somehow lost at the time, even though a foundation course (Maidenhead College of Art and Design) and a Design degree (Staffordshire Polytechnic) followed. Somehow the 'secondary option' had become an ingrained narrative in the wake of academic results (mine hadn't shone) and persisted unchallenged for a further 30 years. It was a narrative that was altogether wrong, clay was never secondary. A collection of converging lines later and most significantly the arrival of a shiny new MSc (Sustainable & Environmental Management) finally dispelled the old narrative, and once it did everything changed. I handled clay again in January 2019 and almost immediately, and unexpectedly, it was the memories of my old pottery classroom that came flooding back, lovely memories. It's not always possible to carve out joy in ones life but reaquainting with clay, I did, quite literally. This is what I can tell you, when your narrative fits, your life is infused with everything, and you know you'll be rich for the rest of your days. Enthusiasm, curiosity, questions, frustration, exploration, risk, vigor, it's a landslide of 'aliveness' and yes of course you have stress and worry but it's altogether different because you're always where you want to be. Energy that circulates through us all circulates through me through clay. It leads to the faces, figures and forms I sculpt and the introspection and reflection felt. A few years in now it's been increasingly possible to extend this clay world into the reach of others, through exhibitions, interactive artwork, workshops and residencies. I'd like to say that if some of the energy I now get to feel might be of benefit somewhere to someone then all the better. If you have your joy I'm so pleased for you, if you don't, maybe it's just a matter of time. This year my workshops with primary and secondary school pupils has grown, working as a creative practitioner with Partners in Creative Learning (PiCL). Young people are full of promise and hope, with bags of energy and enthusiasm. They are lovely to create with and surrounded by dedicated, caring and professional adults. October this year, was the biennial 'Breaking the Mould' awards ceremony at Keele University, and I was there, along with the trophies I had been commissioned to individually sculpt for the winners. Pretty cool. Over the years I've exhibited at the Mall Galleries, ING Discerning Eye, The Royal Society of British Artists and The Society of Women Artists. In the Midlands the RBSA, Coventry and Leamington Spa Opens and closer to home the wonderful Three Counties. I've even had the opportunity to exhibit as a co curator at the Brampton Museum and Art Gallery, a wonderful and important opportunity, particularly for an artists practice and the value of seeing multiple works together. Submitting applications has been very quiet over the last year, something I will need to attend to, and of course share here. You can find plenty of pages on this website dedicated to exhibitions, residencies, workshops and current work for sale my on line shop. Signing off for now art lovers Sally ​