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Hello there! I am an American ceramic artist based in the PNW. I make functional, wood-fired pottery for daily use. I hope that by choosing to use thoughtfully handmade objects as opposed to thoughtless and sterile disposable or factory-made wares, we can add a layer of depth and appreciation to our daily routines and communal gatherings.
I am stoked to be spending November 1st, 2019 - April 28th, 2020 as a short-term Artist-in-Residence at the Red Lodge Clay Center in Red Lodge, Montana. Here in Red Lodge I'll be researching and testing new clay bodies and firing processes for my work. |
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Statement
I strive to make pottery that combines strong form with functionality, and celebrates the materials and processes with which it was made. Wavy rims above curvy profiles add a sense of rhythm, and provide a canvas for the effects of the atmospheric firing. Generous spouts, handles and bellies speak to their given functions. Strong trimmed lines and soft connections tell the tales of the clay’s wet state. Muted tones of reduction-cooled dark clays, with touches of bright glaze or flashing reminisce of the landscapes they were born in.
Formal inspiration often nods to historical ceramics, but also arises through careful observation of my day-to-day life. I have lived in many places, and the unique environments of each inevitably have had their influence on what I made while living there.
Historically, woodfiring has a deep tradition of place-based pots. I become a part of each place that I settle into enough to make work. The pots that I make while living there become a reflection of that connection both conceptually through form and design, and literally because they contain local materials, and are fired with locally grown wood. I love experimenting with the complex atmospheric effects that various woodfiring techniques have on the clay. By designing my own clay bodies I gain more acute control of the fired palette, which is further informed by the environment in which they were made. Like a tree or a boulder, I hope that when the pots are finished, they can exist quietly, yet strongly in the spaces they occupy.
Formal inspiration often nods to historical ceramics, but also arises through careful observation of my day-to-day life. I have lived in many places, and the unique environments of each inevitably have had their influence on what I made while living there.
Historically, woodfiring has a deep tradition of place-based pots. I become a part of each place that I settle into enough to make work. The pots that I make while living there become a reflection of that connection both conceptually through form and design, and literally because they contain local materials, and are fired with locally grown wood. I love experimenting with the complex atmospheric effects that various woodfiring techniques have on the clay. By designing my own clay bodies I gain more acute control of the fired palette, which is further informed by the environment in which they were made. Like a tree or a boulder, I hope that when the pots are finished, they can exist quietly, yet strongly in the spaces they occupy.