The work I produce is wheel thrown and fired in an electric kiln. Predominantly the work is functional with some decorative pieces. Clay is amazing to work with. Merely dirt; yet it can be transformed into an infinite variety of forms with nothing more than your hands. Watching a lump of clay on the wheel grow into a bowl or a vase before my eyes is still mesmerizing to me.
I am mostly self-taught. After twenty plus years in another carer, I was looking for a new direction and took an introduction to pottery at a community center. From the moment I touched the clay it felt right in my hands. Of course, the first pieces I made were ugly; the first pieces always are. But I was hooked. Since then, I’ve developed my skills through reading, watching YouTube videos and, like every potter, spending hours at the wheel seeing what actually happens when I touch the clay.
My focus with clay is to make pieces that are functional and practical. They should be comfortable to use and pleasant to view. I want them to become familiar companions to your daily routine; ones that would otherwise be missed and not easily replaced.
Until last year my partner, Joan and I sold our work through our gallery, Patina Studios, in Bayfield, Ontario. After 14 successful years we closed the gallery in order to pursue art at a slower pace. I look forward to a relaxing summer in the park by the river in Stratford.