(2020-2025) ‘Sacrificial Stone Series 2’ centres on the research of Alfred Watkins, a Herefordian naturalist from the early 1900’s. I am fascinated by the mystery surrounding Watkins’ work which includes photographs of standing stones and maps documenting connections between ancient sites.

The title ‘Sacrificial Stone’ came from one of Watkins’ maps. I was intrigued by this atmospheric mysterious place name which to me evokes a sense of the surreal, stone like, obscured and encaged. I have since been using clay to explore the images and feelings that I associate with these words.

The surfaces on these works have been achieved by applying texture and monoprinting using coloured slips. The colour and placement of this surface decoration takes inspiration from the colouration of rocks and lichen/mosses growing on them. I evoke a feeling of the works being obscured and encaged by layering monoprints that reference grids and meshes. When slab building, I work intuitively, cutting up slabs of clay and collaging them together to create stonelike ceramic forms. I am interested in creating works that are ambiguous, that have a sense of belonging but are also placeless and that explore the mystery which I was originally drawn to in Watkins’ work.

These works range in height from 12cm - 40cm. Medium: black or white stoneware clay, coloured slips and underglaze. All photos courtesy of Dan Barker Studios.

A selection of these pieces are available to purchase directly from my studio. Please CONTACT me if you require further details about the works.