Artist Statement

The medium of clay is my choice for a vehicle that I use to express my ideas and interpretations of the world around me. The responsiveness of clay, recording the lightest touch as well as a heavy hand, is what appeals to me most.

I create all my clay work unassisted, though I enjoy sharing my workspace with fellow artists and non-artists alike. Presently, the majority of my work is formed on potters' wheel with alterations and clay addition or subtractions taking place afterward. I strive for strong and pure shapes, with an emphasis on form with minimal embellishment. The eventual owners and users of my work will see the same elements of line, form and design that are found in nature, be it in a stone, plant, landscape or human body.

The firing process is straightforward. All my work is once fired in a wood fueled, self-constructed kiln. The fire becomes a river of flame inside the kiln, passing around and through the process, leaving it's mark with a light blushing shade of color or an all-out assault of flame and melted wood ash.

Pieces in the last chamber of my four-chambered kiln receive additional enhancement from soda vapors, which is introduced into the kiln in a liquid form near the culmination of a two-day firing process. Colleagues and friends help in the firing process in exchange for putting their work in the kiln.

Simplicity in my work and life is what I strive for.