This was a really exiting opportunity to make a piece inspired by the gorgeous Hereford Cathedral. I have been visiting the Cathedral for moments of contemplation since moving to Hereford so this brief was particularly special to me.

It has always stuck me the serene resonance inside the Cathedral walls. The beautiful music that is played there must be held vibrationally somewhere in the space. From the organ to the choir, all the music that they play is from the heart and brings a centred energy to the listener.

I wanted to somehow convey the power of this craft through my response. I began to make ceramic ocarinas. A task that does not come lightly. Making a pot that can feasibly hold water is not too hard, but holding sound is a different story. Lots of iterations and lots of practice meant that I was able to make functioning ocarinas for the exhibition.

Birds are another source of this serene therapeutic noise, and it was a surprise to me to learn that ocarina translates to ‘little goose’! How wonderful. Birds are present all over Hereford Cathedral in the wooden carvings and textile ornamentation. They have also always spoken to me perhaps because of their symbolic meanings or perhaps because they make such comforting chirps and song. It just made sense to me to incorporate these into my piece, mimicking their tactile feathery nature as a little bird of your own to hold as you play.

Using clay that I had dug from Hereford connected this project more deeply to the Cathedral. The crafts present there would also have been made using local resources. It also meant that when you play them, you are connecting directly to the earth around you.

Making pottery that you can interact with in a musical way felt like a dream come true. It is definitely an aspect of my work that I wish to evolve and move forwards as I grow. Music connects us, to birds, places, people and ourselves.