Cathy’s sculptural animal heads have developed out of her experience of pareidolia; seeing recognisable images (in her case animals) in otherwise random and unrelated objects and patterns. 

She uses a single sheet of clay which she drapes like a skin or fabric over a newspaper core. She avoids using reference material or preparatory sketches so that letting go of preconceptions, she is able to embrace chance and be guided by the clay and how it wants to move.

As an animal starts to appear she is careful not to over work the clay as it’s energy and elasticity is easily lost. Cathy wants to capture the act of making as well as the essence of the animal, enjoying how a seemingly abstract form can be more evocative than a literal representation. Combining different coloured clays gives a variety of patterns within the clay body, similar to natural markings in animal fur.

Cathy Studied at Wimbledon School of Art and worked as a sculptor and freelance prop maker for TV and theatre. She now sculpts from her studio in South London.