Artist Statement

It’s All in the Details

The current focus in my work is the interplay between repetition and variation through the use of line, texture and depth.  I am intrigued with textural patterns I find in the nature surrounding me.   I enjoy discovering ways to incorporate traces of these patterns into my work.  Firing my pots in a wood and soda kiln, I am able to explore numerous variations of surfaces.  I create wheel thrown and altered functional and decorative pieces using stoneware and porcelain clays.   With each cycle of making pots, I eagerly anticipate each firing for the surface effects between the clay, slips, wood ash and soda.

Cradling a cup or bowl in hand, I welcome people to connect with my functional pots through the subtle textures I have impressed or carved into the clay.   At the wheel, I consider the fullness of a form, tonal variations within the surface, and rhythms that occur in the textures.  These individual elements are treated similarly to how I observe nature.  At first glance, my eyes are unable to focus on the variety in nature surrounding me.  Yet the little details are what I am drawn to, such as a leaf connecting to its stem, the softness of a seed enclosed in its shell, or the patterns of filtered light.  These small components in nature that reveal such variations are what I feel bring vitality and energy to my life.

By bringing these details into closer view, each pot I have created possesses the energy and insights I gather from my natural surroundings.  From drinking your morning coffee or serving a fresh green salad, it is my hope that each detail I’ve revealed in my pottery brings a sense of awareness and wonder to the daily rituals of eating.