artist statement

at the root of all I make in clay is a desire to bring the beauty and tranquility of nature indoors.

sunlight filtered through trees; the play of the shadows on the sparkly snow; seemingly random patterns in a pile of leaves or sticks; rainwater pooling on flower petals.  these are the things that move me.  these are the things I think about while making.  i aim to be a filter for these visions…through my eyes and feelings they are transported onto and into the clay. 

porcelain is a perfect medium for this.  it is pure and clean, waiting patiently for me to bring it to life.  finicky and childlike, it requires patience and delicacy.  i love this challenge. 

my shapes are informed by the shapes of the landscape, but also by my predecessors.  designers working in porcelain, whose aim was simplicity of design and function.  most predominant of these designers is Eva Zeisel.  i relate to her understanding of form, line, and decoration and the effect they have on their users.

bio

i have been working in clay for a long time, starting in college.  after 12 years of apprenticeships and work exchanges with various professional artists i decided to go back to school.  i had gained much technical knowledge, but yearned for some necessary aesthetic development.  i graduated with my MFA in ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Crafts in 2004.  i currently maintain a studio in waterbury, vermont.