By its very nature, clay offers a ceramic artist two and three dimensional surfaces that are both extremely sensitive and responsive to touch and manipulation.

My work creates a clay "canvas" upon which combinations of high-fire glazes, temperamental kilns, fuel, oxygen, flame, and carbon all collaboratively "dance" within a kiln's closed environment- while a visual and tactile record of the footsteps of that dance are abstractly "painted" on the surface of the clay.

Much of my work is large (about 15-20" tall or wide for single thrown work, but larger, about 36"to 48" or more when combining thrown, paddled, and coiled work), but sometimes small (1/2 # teapots & 1/4 # cups), usually wheel centered, almost always rooted in a functional basis, and sometimes altered while still wet and on the wheel.

I mix my own clays and glazes, firing them myself, usually in moderate to heavy reduction, to cone 10, allowing me control all of aspects of production of the pieces.

I prefer unique combinations of glazes or wood firing because of the varied, flowing, and spontaneous textures and colors produced.

A valued teacher once remarked that potters initially create work that is recognized by their potter's mark, stamp, or signature. As a potter develops, however, a recognizable "look" or appearance can be noted in each work.

With maturity and experience, potters will sometimes create a pot that becomes an entity only of itself, completely surpassing any linkage to, or recognition of, the potter who created it. Bringing together all of the elements to occasionally and magically produce a clay piece of that kind is my driving passion and ongoing goal.

 

Ceramic Biography

Three Dot Pots and the Glassell School of Art- Museum of Fine Arts-Houston- 2003-Present- Lab Assistant firing 110 cubic foot gas fired cart kiln, smaller gas kilns, electric kilns, pit kilns, mixing glazes, etc.
The Emerald City Pottery (Reprised) and "Fireworks"- Studio and Kiln Firing Service
The Emerald City Pottery- 1975-1978- Established small pottery studio in Wichita, Kansas.
The University of Notre Dame- B.A in Art & English- As undergraduate senior in 1974, helped to establish and build the ceramics department/facilities.

 

Invited Guest Artist/Exhibitor/Participant/Publications:

Perennial "Empty Bowls" (Houston Food Bank) Participant,
Donor, and Demonstration Artist
2010 Canal Street Gallery (Houston) "Introductions"
2010 Glassell School Student Exhibition
2009 – "Placas de Artistas", Corrientes, Argentina- Outdoor Tile & Mural Group Installation/Exhibition
2009 - Macsabal World Woodfire Festival- Zibo City, China- Guest Artist
2009 - Macsabal World Woodfire Festival- Osan, Korea- Guest Artist
2008 - Publication- 43rd. Annual Conference of the International Academy of Ceramics- Zibo City, China
2008 - Macsabal Exhibition- Shandong University Gallery- Jinan City, China
2008 - Macsabal World Woodfire Festival- Zibo City, China- Guest Artist
2008 - Macsabal World Woodfire Festival- Osan, Korea- Guest Artist/Invited Lecturer
2005-2008 - Juried Participant at "The Winter Street Holiday Sale"
2006-2009 - Houston "Cameo" Teapot Contest Participant and Exhibitor
2003-2005 (Final Year) - Juried Exhibitor - The Glassell School/Museum of Fine Arts- Houston, Annual Holiday Sale & Student Exhibition