Tamsyn's ceramic works evoke the beautiful yet rugged landscape of her native Cornwall. Her work explores the material effects of time on the natural world, in particular the interaction between land and sea and the ever-changing landscape of these liminal spaces. The beautiful and rugged landscape surrounded by the coastline of Cornwall, as well as the Cornish mines, mine deposits and boat/shipwrecks, all offer a rich source of inspiration. Their structures and weathered and corroded textures are reflected in the construction of my clay forms. The spiral is a shape Tamsyn is drawn to. Representing movement and regeneration, the form of a shell or the curl of a wave, both hold within them the spiral. The land and sea with its wealth of colour and endless energy and how the movement of water obeys the same harmonics which conditions the growth of shells. This simple yet powerful movement flows within parts of her work adding different dimensions, as does the smooth slick of colour to the otherwise rugged and weathered exterior. Tamsyn's ceramic sculptures are mainly built by hand with a heavily grogged local stoneware clay from St Agnes. Using the coiling and slab process, each piece is then cut, reshaped and sculpted; adding and removing sections as the piece evolves. This results in a spontaneous and instinctive sculpture, which invites the eye to explore from all angles, in, around and through. The beautiful colours she achieves are a result of using a variety of different slips (some from local river beds) and glazes which she allows to interact with one another. The works are often multi-fired over a range of temperatures building up the textures or colours. 'As potters we give over control of the piece to the intransigent process of firing, the finished piece is when hand, eye and nature have combined successfully.'
