We all have an origin story, mine begins in Pennsylvania and the rolling hills of Appalachia. After an
introduction to clay as a business student at Penn State, I felt drawn to the practical and community-
oriented nature that I witnessed in the field of ceramics. Clay is learned in the studio, through lived
experience. From Penn State to the Chautauqua Institute of Art, to Boston’s Mudflat Clay Studio, to the
PNW, I have always found a sense of joy through the experience of hand-on discovery.
My creative journey has allowed me to discover a growing repertoire of how to control clay. I typically
start by throwing forms with an eye for dynamic proportion. These proportions are then accentuated by
altering the form on the wheel or in a leather hard state. Through creative discovery, I learn from
mistakes by iteration which transforms a mistake into a gesture with the intent of capturing the magic of
atmospheric firing.
