My passion for ceramic art dates back to my teenage years when I received a wonderful initiation attending Farnham School of Art in Surrey, England, currently one of the most prominent art colleges in Britain.  In subsequent years I acquired my skill and inspiration from colleges in North Carolina and California, immersing myself in painting and drawing with a view to enhancing my work in ceramics, my main delight and focus.  More recently, the lyrical potter and painter, David High, taught me so much about art and life and how to pursue both with gusto!

Currently active artists, Mary Windrausch, Steven Hill, and Marianne de Trey, along with the wonderful Lucie Rie and her friend, Hans Coper, have had a great influence on my work.  Local artist and potter, George Dymesich, has been a constant friend and mentor and continues to encourage and give direction to my ceramics career.  I regularly travel the U.S. and overseas to visit museums, galleries and other studios and to take workshops from potters whose work and attitude to their work and to life in general, intrigue me.  My travel adventures are highly stimulating and I return home with renewed enthusiasm.

 

The ceramics I create in stoneware and porcelain express my celebration of form and function with simple smooth lines and textural shifts.  The carved surfaces and raised slip decoration add a tactile dimension to the visual and practical aspects.  I love the role that my pottery plays in people’s everyday lives, whether that be the social aspects of sharing meals with others, or those quiet introspective moments enjoying being here and being alive!

 

When I succeed in making a pot that reaches beyond my expectations, I experience a sense of pure joy.  In these rare moments I find myself, not separate, but wholly connected to the piece; that is a lovely, if fleeting, experience.

 

After 30 years as a potter, now showing my work in private and public shows, I’m finding out much more about my goals, my aspirations, and myself.  This field has nothing but exciting new avenues for me to explore.  The possibilities are infinite.  Whether teaching other aspiring potters or digging deep to find the essence of my own work, I am continually, and oh so happily, engaged in this pursuit.