LIZ ARMSTRONG

Liz is primarily a hobby potter who discovered her love for clay over 40 years ago. She first studied ceramics at Stroud College where she explored slabwork, throwing and hand building techniques. Her early work included large sculptural stoneware pieces. When she moved to her present house on the edge of the Cotswolds, she set up her own studio at home. She now concentrates on smaller hand-built raku fired pieces based on natural forms. A visit to the Hepworth Museum in St Ives inspired her pebble shapes and these together with the figurative bird forms are particularly tactile. All the pieces are bisque fired in an electric kiln then raku fired in a converted oil drum. Liz mixes her own raku glazes creating vibrant colours by the addition of copper oxide, copper carbonate, cobalt oxide or tin oxide to a basic glaze recipe. The raku technique is an ancient method of firing; a risk and prayer approach leading to each item being unique in shape and form.