My Pottery Story

I began working with clay in 2000 when I went back to school at the age of 45 trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I got my BA in Fine Arts with a concentration in Ceramics from Indiana University in 2005!

I have always enjoyed the creative process, be it sewing a piece of clothing, hand piecing a quilt or planting flowers in the garden, so becoming involved with clay seemed natural to me. Actually, I combine parts of all of these processes to create my work; I use material for texture, quilting templates for repetitive designs and stems and leaves as impressions. I try to keep each piece unique and individual and able to make a statement on its own.

When I first started this adventure in clay, all I could do was hand build, centering on the wheel totally evaded me. So of course all I want to do was throw. Finally I could; and I did. I threw and sold lots and lots of bowls and cups as well as a few artistic hand built things along the way.

Fast forward to the last few years and for more than one reason I have taken up hand building again. And I realize that is what I am meant to do. Of course I am much slower than i used to be, and a bit more tentative; but I am refining those old skills that I haven't used for a while and having a blast doing it!

One never knows where the clay will take you because there is so much to learn. When a completed piece is put on the sale floor and finds a new home, that is such an accomplishment for me. An when I truly love the piece and it's new owner, that is even better.