Artist Statement

I have always felt that I was born to be an artist. Life has taken me in different directions but art has always been an important part of my life. Similarly, I have always been close to nature and enjoy each season and the beauty of the each. So it is not surprising that I have become a professional ceramic and sculpture artist whose primary influence is nature. I use clay, which is the earth itself and fire one of its primary elements for my work to reflect the environment that I am passionate about. I prefer to depict nature in unique ways that are often but not always noticed.

Work is hand built with coils, slabs or sometimes wheel thrown then dried and fired once. The ceramic piece then becomes my canvas and I draw and glaze it. The final step, raku firing, is where the magic happens. Unexpected colors and copper blushes appear when the glowing hot piece is placed in pine boughs that burn and blacken the piece. The completed work reflects nature and Minnesota through my eyes.