Vanessa works from her studio in the fishing village of Cellardyke in East Neuk of Fife. She makes sawdust fired pots and coloured stoneware tableware with all her work thrown on the wheel. For the pots she uses slip resists to create patterns and textures on burnished pots which are then sawdust fired in a variety of wood shavings. Her work is influenced by natural patterns, colours and forms found in and beside the sea.
Over time Vanessa has developed her own technique of using slip as a resist and for texture to pattern her sawdust fired pots. The pots have also become smaller so they can be held in the hand as they have a tactile nature and sit well either on their own or in groups. Each firing is different depending on the weather and type of wood used meaning she can never be quite sure how a firing is going to work out. Vanessa has recently been experimenting with elm, cherry and sycamore along with using oak and pine.
”The inspiration for my work comes from stones found along the sea shore. I love the different mix of colours and shapes you find together which I try to reflect with my pots”.