My first career was in veterinary medicine which is necessarily a blend of
science and intuition that borders on artistic expression. Now, I find that
ceramics is a blend of science and creative endeavor. My hope is that I am
able to combine my past and my present through current work in the studio.
The malleability of clay as it yields to the potter’s hands followed by the
chemical aspects of the glazing process and the various harsh physical
firing methods are new and yet familiar as I reflect upon experiences in my
past career.

In addition, as a benefit of my travels, I have been inspired by the gifted
artisans and crafts people that I have met across this country and around
the globe. The timeless shapes, forms and colors of the pueblo pottery
spoke to me as I visited galleries in Arizona and New Mexico. My
sculptural ceramic pieces and totems are inspired by ancient cultures.
They are architectural and reminiscent of beautiful carvings, buildings,
monuments and temples from around the world.

I work predominantly with white stoneware clay. Most of my pieces begin
on the wheel and some components of my sculptures are hand-built. After
completion, all elements are bisque fired to cone 04 (1935F) in an electric
kiln. Once the pieces have been bisque fired, the decoration process
begins. Functional pieces are finished with silica-based glazes that make
them food safe and are fired to cone 6 (2200F). Embellishments that I
utilize include crystalline glaze formulations, tape resist designs and
overlapping glaze effects. Decorative pieces may be glazed and fired in
the same manner as the functional pieces. Or, they may be chemically
treated and ‘pit fired’ to 1800F in a roaring bonfire to produce rich organic
hues and effects. Regardless of how ceramics are decorated and fired the
results are never 100% predictable and therein lies the challenge, the art
and the thrill of working with clay to produce finished ceramic forms.