Much of my learning has been through wood firing, where the potter relinquishes control in favor of collaboration with wood and fire. I’ve become smitten by the process of letting go, and work to carry that dynamic into more controlled firing processes as well. Repetition at the wheel, beside the kiln, in my mind, with my hands… Subtle repetition works its magic, becoming an intricate, illegible surface design for the wood ash and flames to play with. This is what I crave: Playing with the material, the surface, the process. The results emanate aesthetic values based in nature rather than human production, and are often one-of-a-kind, non-replicable gems that will continue to reveal themselves from different angles, in the changing light of dawn to dusk, for years to come.

Biography

I am a wood firing potter nestled in the rocks and rolling hills of Jefferson County, West Virginia. Clay travels have taken me coast-to-coast, north to south, and the urge for my own studio space and smokeless bourry box wood kiln brought me to settle in this vibrant community with a long history of handmade and home grown. My time is spent creating in clay, teaching in my studio and community spaces, networking with the larger community of artists and farmers, walking and hiking the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers with my pooch – creating the balance between studio work and community building that I love best.

Other Creative Skills

Ceramics and Pottery, Drawing, Photography, Sound, Woodworking