I have always had an affinity for abstract painting. In college I studied the masters with great envy for their timing and success. I was drawn to the large color blocks of Rothko and Hoffman and to the bold black brushstrokes of Motherwell. Choosing clay as my medium for expression came about when I was an exchange student in Japan. At the time I majored in painting but found the plasticity of clay irresistible. Working with clay is about capturing its wild and unbound essence, as clay can be molded into anything. The clay artist becomes the creator and builder, transforming a ball of mud into something useful. While clay became my medium for expression, I continued to be enthralled by Abstract Paintings.
People are born with an intuitive sense for color. Children’s art is a perfect example of this. One needs only to be attentive to know that certain colors evoke certain feelings. For example, black is serious and strong, white is fresh, blue is calming, red is intense, etc. I use color as a reflection of an experience or mood. Color combinations can be reminders of places I have been or desire to visit.
The spiral is a shape that I use repeatedly. To me, it represents the cycle of creativity: One single idea branches into a cascade of thoughts, which in turn grow into something tangible. The open-endedness of the spiral expresses my belief that wisdom is gained in the process of making things, and the acts of both creation and learning are continually evolving.
About the work itself…
The forms I choose to glaze upon are all very simple and functional. I hand-throw some of the pieces, while others are made from a mold. In all cases, the earthenware forms are essentially a 3-dimensional canvas. To achieve the richness of color, each separate glaze color is hand painted four times. This is a tedious process but the results are undeniable: The colors are irresistible. The glazes are food safe. Handwashing is ideal. Microwaving is not recommended.
I work out of my home studio, which is located in Peru, Vermont. I have a BA in Studio Art and Environmental studies, a certificate of Japanese studies for the year I was in Japan, and a Master’s Degree in Art.