Artist Statement

I am a potter, a ceramic sculptor, and a teacher. My work is elemental and deeply intertwined in my life. I dig my clay by hand near the Androscoggin River near Livermore Falls, ME. I have made a conscious choice to utilize local materials and to fire my work in the most ecologically sound method I can. I am currently working on a fast wood fired kiln that can be supplemented with recycled veggie oil.
I am preoccupied with the cycles of life and death. I ask questions about the impact of humans upon the natural world. My carvings are symbolic of deeper elements of nature. The plants have eyes....are they watching us? The stars are close at hand, when was the last time we looked up in wonder? The microscopic creatures are larger than life, Do they matter if we can't see them? Flowers live and die in an instant, are we living life fully? . It is my hope that you look beyond the silly characters I have created to ask why the fish might be so angry or even why the beetles might be organizing. How can humans blend better with our environment? What can we learn from creatures, plants, organisms?
My explorations have led me to poetry, performance, and ritual, yet I remain primarily a ceramic artist. My work fluctuates between deep healing performance work and the ridiculousness of it all. Many of us are afraid to look into the shadows so it is my hope that you consider life's cycles and rythms and then find the humor in it. Maybe you'll even think about your impact and make some changes. Life is short and you never know.....the creatures just might be conspiring against us.