Statement
2019
Relationships lie at the heart of my ceramic work. An inveterate arranger, I see the world around me through the lens of composition and spatial relationships, where visual components interact with each other to create a pleasing whole. Turning my lens on the clay components, juxtaposed surfaces, robust forms and added embellishments create relational compositions.
I strive to create a balance between the honest, yet sometimes unmannered lines of construction, and the more formal considerations necessary in developing generous and functional forms that ring with harmony and a clear touch of the hand.
I work with a coarse red earthenware clay body and seek the rich depth of color in old lead-like glazes while developing surfaces that suggest natural aging within the oxidation atmosphere of an electric kiln. I want the beauty of the clay itself to rise to the surface, whether it is under a skin of terra sigillata, white slip or layers below the rich amber or green glaze I am so fond of. These material choices have allowed me to achieve the variations I desire within an intentionally limited palette. They are earth-like, connected to the natural world and influenced by textiles, handmade crafts and artifacts, along with the historic folk and kitchen pots of France, England, Japan and Africa, specifically Morocco, where I lived for two years.
