bio

For me, working in clay is all about exploration, curiosity and play. I've been a maker all my life, drawn to the wonder of shape and color and line in all things around me, letting that inform what I create. I've been playing and experimenting in clay for the last 20 years, though it wasn't until I had the opportunity to spend an uninterrupted chunk of time in the Utah desert focusing on ceramics that I realized it was time to shift into being a full-time maker.

Working in clay is the perfect balance of earth, air, fire and water. Every step of this lengthy process points toward the final moment of surprise when I get to open the kiln and discover what has come of the pieces I've nurtured through to the end. I love thinking about how the pieces I've created continue from there into someone else's everyday life. My intention in this work is not only to provide functional vessels that help to serve people's most basic needs of food/drink, but also to carry on the energy of the joy and play from which these pieces were born.

process

When I’m working in the studio, I think of each piece as a blank canvas--an opportunity to explore, play and learn. Every vessel is one-of-a-kind, painted and carved by my hands alone. Instead of replicating pieces (like most production pottery happens), I create collections—groups of pieces which work collectively as a “set” or individually. Within each collection, sizes, shapes, colors and patterns may vary, but the pieces work as a cohesive whole. My works are hand-built and/or wheel-thrown, then hand-painted with underglazes and clay slips.