Artist Statement

As a Person

As a craftswoman and potter, I believe in the reproduction and usefulness of an object. As an artist and maker, I believe in the wonder and celebration of creativity in all aspects of life.  I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. Feeling connected to the world around me and the elements is a very important part of my life. Digging the earth straight from the ground behind my own house, and transforming it into something that can hold life giving water. How the air feeds the fire that vitrifies and hardens the clay, making it even sturdier. My goal as a person in the business of art is to create wonder in everyday objects through constructive planning, calculated making and monitored firing. With as many as 4 or more separate firings a piece, it's necessary to plan carefully thought out processing, timing, temperature, and measuring. The Bisquing process is a basic vitrification of the form with ramps to maximum temperature and to cool down, reaching red hot temperatures in a kiln. An Underglaze firing has the same temperature measurements as a bisque fire and solidifies the underglaze so as to not mix into the Glaze, who's firing cycle is at a higher temperature and a longer duration than the previous two. A final firing can make any piece special. A Luster, or liquid gold, can be applied and flash fired at the melting point of the metal and burning point of the compound; leaving a bright gold finish, exhibited in specific pieces among my collection of work. I harmoniously combine my vessel work and sculptural experiences to form my artistic expression, while maintaining the individuality of techniques within bodies of work. My work is created based off of a research sample collection of pinched ceramic forms, and the epitome of what I, as a craftswoman, an artist, and a maker, feel is necessary to create.