My abstract ceramic sculptures are made with intention to celebrate the primal forces of nature—earth, water and fire—and the animating energy streaming through all life. This sculpture, Ritual II, was inspired by the dance of flame. I love the sensory experience of working with coils and slabs of clay. The forces of nature also influence my work as my sculptures are exposed to the transformative powers of wind and fire in the wood kiln. The wood firing leads to surfaces that have depth and subtle variations of texture and color, imparted by the movement of wind and fire through the kiln. The result is a visual and tactile experience in which the surface is inherently integrated with the form.
I began working with clay after completing a masters’ degree in psychology, and was immediately drawn to the meditative process and expressive possibilities of this material. I serve on the board of the Washington Sculptors’ Group, and belong to the woodfire community at Monocacy River Pottery near Frederick, Maryland.
