Artist Statement

I find satisfaction in working with raw materials that can be shaped and nurtured into objects with balance, proportion, scale, and texture. I hope that universal rhythms found in nature are echoed in my work, evoking the simple strengths present in stone and the natural landscape.

Most of my forms are vessels. They have an interior and exterior, and the hidden space inside creates an anthropomorphic relationship I enjoy exploring. Each piece comes into being and develops a personality as it evolves.

My inspirations are varied. My work blends wabi-sabi with mid-century modern influences in what I call Modern Primitive. I draw from any design discipline concerned with the relationship of shape, form, and color. Architecture, fashion, and product design all inform my work, along with the beauty of the natural world.

Technique

My work begins on the potter’s wheel. Many pieces are altered and reassembled. Random textures and intentional forms define my process. At times I pair the ancient technology of the wheel with current design software, photographing an unresolved piece and exploring options digitally.

I work with a coarse clay body and scrape each piece to bring out its texture. My glazes enhance those textures. By brushing many layers of glaze over darker oxides beneath, I build a wide range of color tones. The work is fired to 2245 degrees in an oxidation setting using an electric kiln, transforming the clay into durable stoneware.

Bio

I hold a BA in Fine Art from Western Washington University with a dual focus in ceramics and visual communications. Although clay has always been central to my practice, I pursued a graphic design career that took me to Chicago, Los Angeles, and eventually Seattle.

Even while working in typography, photography, and digital media, I maintained a ceramic studio wherever I lived. I came to see that design principles translate across dimensions and realized I might someday return fully to clay.

That shift came in 2001. I left urban life, sold my home in Seattle, and moved to rural Whatcom County, Washington, committing to a life in clay.

My work is represented nationally by galleries and museums and is included in permanent collections. I exhibit and sell at regional art shows, and most recently, I participated in the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C.