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All of my work is made by myself with no assistance. The clay work and decorations are conceived as a result of all of my past influences and inspirations, and I assume full responsibility for the forms. The final results are achieved by assisting living fire to leave its mark on my ware.
The forms I make are all created on an electric potters wheel with commercially blended clay and fired in a wood fueled kiln to a temperature in excess of 1300° C (2400° F). I make functional pieces in a one-of-a-kind frame of mind and explore a shape in ten to twenty items before moving on to a new shape. I will occasionally return to an old shape only to have seen it evolved into a new one, slightly different but still the same. I decorate by using slip (liquefied clay) of varying earth tones and hues with an occasional splash of cobalt or copper. Altering the shape, carving through slip layers and into the clay surface, and adding or removing clay are other methods of enhancing the form before firing.
The firing takes place in a three-chambered, climbing wood-fueled kiln and takes between 30-40 hours to complete. The pieces that are placed nearest the flame source accumulate layers of ashes from the burning wood. The ashes melt into a natural glaze as the temperature reaches its maximum. Additional color is achieved as the flames go past and through the form, drawing oxides and impurities to the surface of the clay. I enjoy seeing the effects of the fire and flame recorded on the surface of the form. This is how the living fire leaves its signature on my work.
Keeping it simple is a theme I try to keep in my work and life. The kiln I use is of original design and construction. The wood used as fuel is a free bi-product of a local recycling industry. I strive to keep the process as low-tech as feasible without sacrificing the quality of the final result.
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