As I walk in the woods or through the pasture, I am bombarded with images that I want to express in clay. They may come from the pattern that the branches of the trees create against the sky, the way the wind blows the mane of a galloping horse, or the gentle curve of a grassy hill. Whether I’m creating a functional vessel, a sculpture, or a wall tile, my inspiration has always come from nature.

I work in both terra cotta and stoneware clays, always building by hand. I’ve developed my own techniques for building, depending on the shape, size, and function of the piece. Many objects start as a large drawing on a piece of newspaper, which serves as a pattern for cutting out sections of clay to be joined together. My bowls are often made of many sections that are put together like a quilt, smoothing the inside but leaving the sections visible on the outside. Most of my work is completed by combining several different techniques. The surfaces are combinations of commercial glazes, oxides, stains and wax resist. Occasionally I add a bit of iridescent acrylic as a highlight on a piece of sculpture. On many pieces I utilize my painting background by drawing and carving directly on the clay.

Most recently I’ve been exploring the ideas of balance and complement. The sculpture titled “Balancing Act” gently rocks to and fro, and the vessels titled “We Come as a Pair” consist of two pieces that snuggle together to make a whole.