Artist Statement
Whether I am throwing a vessel or hand building a sculptural piece, the human figure is my ever-present inspiration. It allows me to take a very organic approach and is the basis for each new exploration or series of work. While throwing or shaping a piece, I often allow the clay to dictate its own direction. I believe this gives the piece life, movement, and a feeling of imperfection, mimicking the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi.
The final form often dictates my selection of color and surface design. I choose glazes and firing techniques that allow for a sense of serendipity. This sense of controlled improvisation and the unexpected is why I’m so drawn to alternative firing techniques. Nothing inspires and excites me more than that moment when I place a glowing red-hot fired ceramic piece onto a bed of sawdust and newspaper. I marvel as the sparks begin to fly. The flames crackle and explode. The smoke billows in every direction. I quickly cover it with a trash can and then wait…and wonder. These firings have a way of evoking both fear and excitement.
To me, alternative firing is akin to abstract expressionist painting. Whereas a painter wields brush and paint to create color, texture, and contrast, the ceramicist wields smoke, fire, wood, and air. Both rely on elements of randomness and control.