As an undergraduate in the Art & Education B.A. program, I took one clay hand-building class with no further interest. (See Tongue) Years later, living in the Chicago suburbs and seeking an artistic outlet, I enrolled in the only available class that fit within my children’s school hours — a wheel-throwing course at Harper Community College. To my surprise, I fell madly, deeply in love with working on the wheel.

When traditional glaze formulas didn’t give me the aesthetic I was after, I began hand-mixing Mason stains into small batches of clay to enhance my surface designs. (See Tall White Vessel.) When I moved to Atlanta, I re-engaged with clay at Spruill Art Center and established a home studio.

Porcelain became my material of choice for its smooth, creamy texture — some liken it to brick cream cheese — and for the way it responded to my hands. Much of my work has focused on modern “reboots” of ceramic classics: Wedgwood vessels, Japanese fish and bird teapots, and bowls. One of my favorites to create were my Splash Bowls (see gallery) which capture the moment a water droplet hits the surface and rises. 

Unconventional materials — fiber tassels, wire, matchsticks — and a touch of humor have always played a role in my work.