I carved my first sculpture when I was 15, when my father dug up a huge piece of chalk for me from the Ardenham House grounds. (see ‘Me Jane’).

I loved the easy texture, the carving and weight of it.

When I did my BA at Hornsey Art College – mostly in the Alexandra Palace, I made my first Full-length sculpture in 1963 (Male Form of 'Peanuts').

Then I asked if I could make a life-sized Female Form and, and was allowed one. Mik Dunn, my boyfriend, welded the armature, and Paul Wright, my buddy, joined me to make his own life-sized one of her.

Mik Dunn, my then boyfriend, welded the armature, and Paul Wright, my buddy, joined me to make his own life-sized version of her.

After that, I did two rather strange life-size pieces: ‘Over a Barrel’, and a ‘Plastic Venus’.

I went to a Plastics Exhibition where the machines were spewing out all kinds of the newest plastic ‘things’. So I asked for a welding torch and stuck them altogether into a life-sized ‘Plastic Venus.’ The fumes made me feel ill!

THE VERY FIRST PLASTIC VENUS

‘Chalk Man’ My first sculpture 20cm by 13cm. (1959)

‘Chalk Man’ from Ardenham House grounds. 8”by5” Age 15 1959

‘Chalk Man’ from Ardenham House grounds. 8”by5” Age 15 1959

Male Form (of ‘Peanuts’ - the current model!). He was sculpted in plaster.

Male Form (of ‘Peanuts’ - the current model!). He was sculpted in plaster.

The ‘Young Contemporaries’ Sculpture

In 1965, My Boyfriend, Mik Dunn and I won a prize at ‘The Young Contemporaries’ showing at 1½ Suffolk Street, Piccadilly. Crenallated heavy plaster over a wooden former. About 8’ round

I wanted this to be a fountain, with the large balls placed in a circle around the centre on long 2 ft. flexing wires, so that the spout of water shooting out from a raised central spigot sprayed down onto the wobbling balls (probably made of a shiny light metal) which would clash together, with the water spraying off them, then to rush down over the sides of Mik’s crisp-shaped edges to join the water spouting up the centre again.

Maybe this will one day be made by someone?

The ‘Young Contemporaries’ Sculpture

Then I made a tall life-sized figure out of pieces of recycled wood.

In 1970, I went overland to India (protected by Mike Bruce and Robin Greenwood from Oxford University) to study the Pre-Gupta Temples.
But all my photos were ruined by the customs opening them when I returned. They thought I might be smuggling back drugs in the canisters!

However, later, I made an Indian-inspired Bird-bath and Sundial.

Life-sized figure out of pieces of recycled wood

Indian Inspired Sundial

Sundial 1971 cast concrete

Nowadays I just make small ceramic or clay figures.

And I also put clay figures onto the rims of my Raku Pots…see ‘SEX-POTS

However – I have made a Maquette for the Fourth Plinth of Trafalgar Square, Which would be cast in a grey stone background, flecked with black, white and beige, to celebrate Womankind Throughout the World.

‘A Celebration of Womankind throughout the World’

Maybe this could be realised one day?

‘Reclining Figure’ Ceramic Maquette 20 cm x 9cm

Ceramic Reclining figure 8” by 3½”

Fourth Plinth for Trafalgar Square

Maquette for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square

Fertility Godesses

Some small baked clay Fertility Goddesses