"It was exciting to be given a ‘tour’ of some of the textile archive sample books. I was drawn to the vibrant colours in two of the Indian books, especially the cashmere pieces from 1863 Textile Manufactures of India Collection.
I loved that each page had the addition of a small touchable piece at the bottom for customers to feel.
The paisley motif is universal, but its exact origin is not known. The basic teardrop or curled leaf shape is often embellished with decorative edges. I decided to use this shape to design a set of small dish forms.
The first stage after initial ‘doodling’ was to develop the shapes, sizes and to a certain extent the decoration. I later decided that a less shiny surface was important in order to avoid any reflections, especially as the pieces may be displayed under glass.
This would be achieved by using satin glazes.
At the time of writing, I have completed making all the pieces and am about to experiment on clay test pieces using the satin glazes. As with all ceramics the process is incomplete until the final firing, so the results when colours are applied will be as new to me as they are to the viewer now."