Artist Statement

I have always felt like a vessel - a being of the inbetween. Made of clay, filled with water, graced by fire. And yet, shaped for a human’s grasp, for our lips to touch.  I know I am made of earth, and pottery is my way of sharing the knowledge that you are made of earth too.

I am a process oriented artist. I see no profound distinction between the act of creating and the final creation itself. My process begins in communion with nature. Observing, exploring, being, and discovering clay deposits. I harvest clay from hollowed stream beds. I bring the clay back to my studio to purify it, carefully sifting out rocks, bugs, and sticks. I honor the give and take, the push and pull, which keeps our universe in balance.

I hold this special medium in my hands and relish in its familiarity. I know it, and it knows me. I sculpt from images embedded in my mind – tree limbs dancing above, roots twisting down, and my arms in a mirror. I coil build my sculptures, and I throw my vases and cups on the potter’s wheel. I enjoy the contrast between these two practices. One being completely free of formalities, and the other being bound to gravity and symmetry.

The last part of my process is to wood fire the pieces in a small train kiln. I prefer this intense way of firing. It feels as if I am handing my art back to the elements, one last time. The fire’s mark has the final say on what the surface will look like. Instead of glazes, I let the clay body show its shades of orange, brown, purple, and blue. The green drip is made of melted ash deposits that occurred during the firing.

The inbetween was created by the space humanity took for itself. I hope for my process and my art to show you the intimate and intertangled connection we share with earth.