Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY, Geoffrey Wheeler Workshop
Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY, Chris Gustin Workshop
BA/Political Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT


Since I began working with clay, I have always enjoyed the various technical and aesthetic problems that I encounter when creating each piece and the frequently difficult process of finding a solution. It is this process of discovery and improvement that continually excites me and propels me in new directions with my work.

Each of my pieces are Raku fired, which requires removing the piece from the kiln while it is at its hottest point, approximately 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, and smoking it with combustible material in an enclosed container. The smoking, depending on the glaze, creates a "crackle" appearance, or can result in a lustrous metallic appearance. The variations in such factors as timing, materials and weather allow for unlimited possible outcomes. These elements of chance combined with the necessary spontaneous actions taken by the artist are clearly manifest in the resulting piece and lie in stark contrast to the precision and rigidity of the forms I create. I attempt to balance these competing elements to create a unified and balanced work.