I am a ceramic designer. After my degree, I went to America and worked as a potter’s apprentice (for a male potter) for 5 years. I then did an MA in ceramics to improve my chances of securing a teaching job/being taken seriously. After 5 years I got a pottery night class job one evening a week.
During the wait, I got a studio, and carried on making work and applying for exhibitions and competitions, some of which I was successful with.
20 years of hard teaching slog, doing a PGCE, HEA fellowship, and PhD, I have been able to get a job teaching and managing Masters programmes at a University.
Much of my work has been part-time, and in the interim I got married and had 2 children. As part of my ceramics career I have won international competitions, had solo shows, continued on and off to have a studio.
I felt I had to have more and more qualifications to remain relevant/employable at work. I often sign my name as initials only, as this is genderless. I have had very little money or time for my ceramics practice, I mostly work in sketchbooks.
Industry
