Artist Statement
I strive to express the natural qualities and lively nature of clay by using a slow turning wheel, soft clay, soft parts of my hands, and soft ribs. The interaction of sculptural and utilitarian considerations is the foundation of my forming as I seek simplicity, function, elegance, and beauty in making pots for daily use. I make pots with both a light stoneware clay body and a flameproof clay body. My forms begin on the potter's wheel and many are built upon with additions of lids, handles, spouts, and feet. Some are altered from round to rectangular, triangular, oval, or square. All the pots I make are food safe, dishwasher safe, and ready for use.
I was introduced to flameware clay in 2001 during a six-week residency in the studio of Karen Karnes. With this new material and ideas of cooking in clay pots, a new vocabulary of function and form has evolved as I explore the needs and aesthetics of a pot that is used from the oven to the table.
All my pots are fired to cone 10 in my 70+ cubic foot propane-fueled kiln with a touch of wood and a light application of soda ash which allows the firing process to leave its subtle, softening, and sometimes surprising influence upon the surface of the clay.
I am committed to making pots for use in the kitchen, on the table, and in the home. I believe a need for human touch is satisfied through the daily use of pots made by human hands.
