For as long as I can remember, I have collected all sorts of interesting bits from around the world-feathers, shells, stones, rusty metal, old tools and much more. Ten years ago, I fell in love with clay. For many of my sculptures, a starting point is an object from my vast collection. I love to find a way to incorporate these found ‘bits’ with clay. I aim to use an existing piece and give it a new identity, using as little extra material as possible. Inspiration also comes from the ancient Japanese Kintsugi golden mending technique and the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, creating beauty out of imperfection. There is no theme in my Clay&Bits sculptures. Each object dictates what its new life is going to be. Sometimes it is humorous, like the titles show, sometimes not, but I always enjoy bringing together an object with my imagination to create an entirely new piece. An ‘s’ at the end of the title indicates that the sculpture has been sold.