As a potter and an avid gardener, I have been always been drawn to creating, nurturing and growing. Development in my pottery is inspired by nature.  I strive to create work that concentrates on lines taken from the world around me…lines with a natural flow and rhythm inviting touch by the viewer.  The soft curve of a flower petal with its natural  imperfections, rugged rock formations, the smooth curvatures of a sea shell..there is beauty in all nature which I try to emulate. Ceramics should look and feel wonderful….like an extension of the owner’s own hand.  I make pottery because its challenges are limitless.

 

As I am going through the artistic process, I want to learn something new about the clay and its capabilities..such as “will this handle work on this form?”, “does this vessel need a lid to complete the form?”, “will a dart alter this form enough to give it more movement?”, “how far can the clay stretch before it reaches the breaking point?” or “can the form be successfully fired?”.  I enjoy “spiffing” things up, adding distortions, slip, indentations, textures and glazing methods.  These techniques add interest and propel me toward more exploration in future work.

 

Everything about pottery is a learning experience.  And I can’t forget about “happy accidents”…those things that just happen but make a piece more beautiful.  Each piece is an extension of myself with much care given in each and every stage.  Unfortunately, the fragility of pottery can often lead to heartache.  There can be clay weakness that I hadn’t anticipated and it doesn’t make it through a firing.  And sometimes, a particular creation can make it through all the forming, firings and glazing only to be accidentally broken later.

 

Above all, I love the satisfaction of starting with a lump of clay and ending with a recognizable altered shape… a shape that has a functional (usually but not always), intriguing form. Being unique is something that I strive for in my work.  I always remember that perfection is nice, but striving for artistic integrity always preferred.