Why A Potter?

My journey as a potter started with an interest in seeing how pots are made. Learning about the "how" of things increases my appreciation of the objects and processes around me. So I took classes. I am so grateful for the wealth of knowledge and guidance of those teachers and mentors who patiently demonstrated, inspired, and gently challenged me to go on and learn more.

I began with wheel pottery at a community class in Pennsylvania with Grace Pilato, Trish Wilson, and Ian Station. As my attempts at mastering the basics resulted in pieces my family and friends actually used, I became even more inspired and found I really enjoyed working with clay.

I moved to North Carolina for new experiences and a job as a psychiatric nurse. I have been enjoying the balance of work and pursuing interests and traveling to see what my children and family are doing. I found the Piedmont pottery community and was able to be deepening my wheel work through the classes of Johanna New, Ronan Patterson, and Susan Kern. An injury, however, led me onto the path of hand-built pottery, where I was glad to meet Barb McKenzsie and Laura Korch. Now I work exclusively in hand-built pieces and am enjoying exploring the multitude of possibilities to embellish with texture and design.

I have been a member of the Cary Clay Cooperative, The Triangle Potters Guild, and the Alamance Artisan Guild, as well as of the Art and Soul Studios cooperative in Mebane, where I have been a featured artist. My work also has been displayed during the summer arts festival Artsplosure in Raleigh, North Carolina.

I am in the process of transforming a workshop behind my house into a studio. This includes a kiln I have named Athena. She will be the fire for my artistic creations and functional wares. I am inspired by the designs of the Art Nouveau period, by the texture and structure of textiles, and by architecture. The idea that something I made may be used by someone everyday as the cup at the beginning of a day or for the celebrations of life makes me smile.