I didn’t know I wanted to become a potter when I was growing up. In fact it wasn’t until 1998 that the thought even occurred to me, and it happened quite accidentally. Since that time, I have continued to work in clay, honing my skills and gaining valuable experience. During my last year of undergraduate studies, I focused on how the surrounding environment could be interpreted to inform the surface of the vessel. Being that I lived in DeKalb and traveled often to and from Chicago on back roads, I became very familiar with the land that framed my journeys. Open space abounded – punctuated sporadically with a rusty grain bin or corn crib. The lines created in space were that of right angles; the colors that of dried corn stalks, rusted metal, and snow covered fields. The shapes I created were reminiscent of derelict towers and rundown farmhouses. In response, I began to create vessels that blurred the line between function and sculpture.
After obtaining my BFA from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb in 2001, I settled in Chicago to concentrate on becoming an urban potter. Moving to a different environment helped reinforce my interest in how ceramic works can be influenced by the immediate surroundings. However, the open spaces have now been replaced by a confinement that city dwellers know all too well. The actuality of limited personal space has led me to explore forms that I (and hopefully others) can live with without taking up too much room. Furthermore, the work is meant to be used in a ritualistic sense. Ritualistic not in the way of ceremony, but as part of a routine or everyday meditation. I see my current pieces as a way for people to connect with the handmade on a personal level. It is important to me that the work allow the user to slow down and enjoy something as simple as a cup of tea.
RSS