Living in Devon…

After living a nomadic life with my family located around the world, I never felt I had any roots, somewhere I belonged and could call home. Moving to Devon changed everything; I felt like I belonged for the first time. I'd found my home. I wish my Devonian grandmother could see me now; she'd be beaming with pride.

This county inspires me, enabling me to hone my passion for glass landscapes and seascapes. From daily Dartmoor walks to visiting the coast to go surfing and occasionally exploring for more extended periods in our campervan.

The origins of my creativity…

I was always a creative child with a fantastic imagination, which sometimes would get me into trouble. My teachers needed help determining which of my written stories and artwork were accurate and regularly quizzed my parents; for example, going to work with my dad and being left to play in a fighter jet while he caught up on paperwork versus having a donkey in our back garden. The latter is not true. I wasn't naturally academic, so I focused on art and sport, which led me to study for a BA Hons in Photography Design.

The reality…

After university, I tried to progress my final show portfolio of underwater photography (fairies, angels, water nymphs). Though I needed to pay off my student debts, but struggled to find a job in the sector, so I embarked on a different career. Over the next 20 years, I trained as a cartographer (map maker), which provided me with a sense of purpose, creating disaster relief and operational mapping. However, the reality was that it was long hours behind computer screens and definitely not my natural preference. I craved creativity and human interaction. I was offered the role of teaching cartography, which progressed into teaching leadership at senior levels. I gained many psychometric accreditations and a Master's, all contributing to understanding how people behave. Still, even more importantly, I learned more about myself. For many years, I thought I was very content; I enjoyed the challenges, the pressure and the travelling. Until I didn't recognise this exhausted, anxious and stressed person. I'd burnt out.

Part of my recovery was rekindling the love of the outdoors, introducing a new puppy into our family (Boo who features a lot on Instagram) and reintroducing creativity. I was amazed at the difference in my well-being. I returned to work with a different mindset, striving for a better work-life balance, with creativity being a part of the recipe, and then it happened! I attended a glass fusing taster day.

My glass journey…

And there the story starts: I caught the glass bug! I endured a microwave kiln for many months, with more failures than successes, though all valuable learning! My family, especially my husband, could see the joy of being creative with glass and learning the science behind it. And he encouraged me to purchase a proper glass fusing kiln. I attended in-person and online courses, learning different techniques and discovering what processes sparked my passion. I meticulously document all aspects of making glass within sketchbooks to learn and push the boundaries of what is possible. It also reminds me how much I've grown and honed my craft; every firing and opening of the kiln continues to fuel my creativity, love of learning and curiosity.