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Artist Statement

My work deals with relationships between pieces and between the viewer. I get inspiration from the relationships in my life and those I see around me. The forms themselves combine ceramic vessels, aspects of the human body, and shapes found in nature. Relationships between forms are important to me, as well as the way they interact with and animate the space around them. What interests me the most is the relationship the viewer has to my work, whether it is physically sitting in a piece, standing two inches away to see detail, or visually making a connection with events or relationships in their life.

Detail

Porcelain and Wood
5 Units Each 8 x 3 1/2 x 2 Inches
2006

Detail (Parts One and Two)

Detail (Parts Three and Four)

Detail (Part Five)

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the relationship of the viewer to my pieces. In this particular series I am concerned with scale and how that relationship changes when the scale has changed. This piece focuses on the detail that can be contained in a piece that is around an inch high and how close the viewer must stand in order to see the detail. I want the viewer to see detail and form that they would normally pass over and I feel that the presentation of the pieces does this.

Shelf

Porcelain, Acrylic, Wood

16 x 12 x 5 1/2 Inches

2006

Look

Porcelain, Wood, Sand, and Glass

12 x 20 x 6 1/4 Inches

2006

Look (Back View)

These box pieces are like creating little worlds to me. I am interested in the life like quality that these tiny porcelain pieces have and how they begin to interact when placed within the same vicinity. Relationships have interested me for a long while, and this is another way to explore them. There is also an element of mystery and discovery in these works that I enjoy. I want the viewer to feel as if they are coming upon something that is precious.

Circulate

Wood, Plexiglass, and Lowfire Clay

12 x 12 x 3 1/2 Inches

2006

Quiet

Wood and Lowfire Clay

12 x 9 x 3 1/2 Inches

2006

Wall

Lowfire Clay

65 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 3 Inches

2006

Untitled (Unfinished)

Stoneware

Aprx. 43 x 48 x 28 Inches

2006

Untitled (Alternate View)

This is the other end of the scale spectrum. Ideally, the viewer would be able to directly, physically interact with this work. Again, I would like to have an element of discovery with these pieces as well, by placing them in a wooded area so the viewer literally discovers them. Then, they can have an isolated moment with the piece, and essentially become part of the piece.

New Work

Look Listen

Stoneware, Terra Sigilatta, Acrylic, Wax

44 Inches by 36 Inches

2005

Squash

Stoneware, Terra Sigillata, Acrylic, Wax

39.5 inches by 15 inches

2005

Tension

Colored Terra Sigillata, Acrylic

22 by 20.5 Inches

2005

Steady

Colored Terra Sigillata, Acrylic

23 by 23 Inches

2005

Couple 3

Stoneware, Colored Terra Sigillata, Acrylics

27 Inches by 16 Inches

2005

Couple 3 (Alternate Views)

Open

Stoneware, Colored Terra Sigillata

13 by 26 Inches

2005

Open (Alternative Views)

Rock

24 Inches by 25.5 Inches

Stoneware with Terra Sigillata

2005

Rock (Alternative Views)

Lean

27 inches by 24 inches

Stoneware, colored terrasigillata

2005

Lean (Alternate Views)

Piggy Back

24 inches by 18 inches

Stoneware, colored terra sigillata

2005

Piggy Back (Alternative Views)

Reliance

Stoneware with colored terra sigillata

26 inches by 24 inches

2005

Reliance (Alternative Views)

Crawl

Stoneware, Colored Terra Sigillata

24.5 inches by 23 inches

2005

Crawl (Alternate View)

Stretch

Stoneware, Colored Terra Sigillata

44 Inches by 36 Inches

2005

Stretch(Alternate Views)

Content

21.5 inches by 18 inches

Stoneware with colored terra sigillata

2005

Content (View 2)

I used rocks here as a transition from the rigid geometry of the pedestal to the organic sculpture. They also create the illusion of a rounded base on this piece. I really like the rocks, however I think they may detract from the piece, so I'm still thinking on this one.

Experiments From Grad School

Dependence

Stoneware, Colored Terra Sigillata, Smoked Fired

22 inches by 18 Inches

2005

Dependence (Alternative View) (Detail)

Dependence (Alternative Position)

This piece can be set up in a couple different ways. Flexible positioning as well as viewer interaction is important within this series. The touch a feel of all my pieces is important, so I work hard to create a smooth sensual surface. This piece originally had only blue and white terra sig on it, but when it came out of the second firing it had a few large blotches on the surface. Sawdust firing was the perfect solution.