My work is strongly influenced by location as every place I visit has its own history, culture and community. I visit different locations such as Port Talbot gathering research providing me with an invaluable wealth of inspiration to create work reflecting on the notion of place.

Hi Luke can you tell me about your work and your final year project ‘Unearthing Port Talbot’

Clay inspires me because traditional hand making skills are still integral to its craft as well as its ability to combine modern technology such as laser cutters and 3D printers. This enables the opportunity to discover new work through the breadth of processes ceramics can offer as well as its receptive qualities to new approaches of making. Digital technology such as the software Rhino, has been a useful tool in my practice as it has helped to realise new possibilities. Additionally clay in this for ever growing man made world offers me the chance to connect with a natural material.

I have been unearthing a town called Port Talbot in South Wales to reveal the towns industrial history and its accord with the surrounding environment. This town has a rich natural landscape that is over looked due to the dominance of the towns steel industry as it is the largest in the United Kingdom. The imposing presence of the steel works in the landscape gives it visual importance but without the surrounding environment the steel works would not be present without resources such as reservoirs, transport links and the sea. I wish to reflect this industrial heritage and close relationship of man and environment within my work. The Human marks that have been carved into the natural landscape of Port Talbot has been interpreted in compositions of ceramic artefacts creating a visual dialogue.

What are your plans after graduation?

I will be living and studying in London at the Royal College of Art to study a two year MA course in Ceramics and Glass.