STATEMENT

Ever since I took my first pottery course in high school, Iƒ??ve been mesmerized by the incredible feeling of sitting at a wheel and creating something beautiful with my bare hands. Creating work at the potterƒ??s wheel is incredibly meditative, rejuvenating, and personally satisfying for me. Iƒ??ve mostly made wheel thrown and altered pottery and have just recently begun exploring some of my sculptural interests.

Iƒ??ve always been drawn to the tradition of functional ceramics from England and Japan (Leach/Hamada) and try to produce work that is simple and straightforward, while at the same time demonstrating some of my own individual passion and personality. Recently I have been influenced by the elements of Japanese design, working with the wabi-sabi aesthetic in mind. In my work I strive for a sense of order and comfort. I feel the most effective designs are often least complicated, providing an appearance of simplicity but upon closer examination revealing more complexity, whether it is from the design or from the surface finish. My work has been mostly high-fire reduction but Iƒ??ve also worked with soda, raku, and recently mid-fire oxidation in an electric kiln. One of the most satisfying things for me as a potter is when someone expresses their enjoyment in using one of my pieces. For me this has always been an important aspect of my work, making functional art that people are comfortable with and enjoy having in their daily lives.

BIO

Although my strongest passion lies in the ceramic arts, I have spent over 25 years in a variety of disciplines ranging from photography and jewelry, to studying acoustic guitar and publishing photo-realistic art. I feel that my diverse interests have provided me with a broader understanding of how we all interact with and truly need art in our daily lives to nourish ourselves.

Having taken ceramic courses at a variety of facilities and having my own studio, I consider myself mostly self-taught. I do enjoy studying work from students of the Leach/Hamada tradition and have currently been influenced by those who studied under these two great craftsmen. I believe I am continually on my journey of working toward my own aesthetic and individual style, further defining myself as a unique ceramic artist.