Mandy Ruffles

Born in the wild Saints of rural Suffolk  I grew up drawing in mud and making things, not all ways successfully (mud huts and rafts) but great fun. The joy was in the creating and returning home covered head to foot in mud to be… hosed down with our dogs and my brothers.

I married  and moved to West Germany, where I studied for a Diploma in pollution control and a BSc Hons Open University degree in Environmental studies , Innovation and Design.

 Back in 2000 in the UK I became a Learning Support Assistant ,at Theale Green School (the first UK Art Technology college under Chris Gittins).

Whilst  there I was encouraged to train as  a teacher, at Oxford for my PGCE , specialising in primary science and the creative curriculum.  

I was influenced by the colour and humour of toy and automata maker Ron Fuller ,from Laxfield ,from an early age and have been influenced and attended  art courses with Rebecca Swainston in creative drawing.

After a medical battle I took up pottery. I was lucky and found my first “pottery home” and the wonderful people at West Street Pottery Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey.  First  under the tutors: Jane Jones in life sculpture, and the wonderful Kathy Mason in pottery throwing and hand building.  They taught me with fun and laughter, to experiment and make more of what makes me happy.

I now do this back in Suffolk, through illustrative story telling on hand built , thrown (quite literally) or wheel thrown and altered pots and sculptures. I love mixing word play and pictures with clay: to weave stories, local legends and make social comments, on my vision of the  world around me.

I have contributed to Community Art ( for Farnham, Surrey Craft Town) which is outside the UCA Farnham , Surrey.

Decorated roof tiles for The Vine national trust property

and made a Stained glass owl panel for a school in Hampshire

Past exhibitions at Halesworth, Wrecclesham  and East Horsley.