Perhaps because of the innate desire of women to nurture and nest, as I grow older, I find myself more and more wishing to make art which elevates the beauty and style of one’s home. This is not to say that I want to label my work as trivial and “domestic,” but the reality is, much of this stuff called “ART” will end up in someone’s home, and become a part of their everyday life. My goal is to create pieces that are decorative, yet possess a rareness that only an object created with the human hand can have.

I work with stoneware clays, creating objects that are based on utilitarian forms, such as the teapot and the urn. On a fundamental level, I am concerned with producing pieces that have clean, elegant lines, yet also have a natural feel. My wish is to make objects that will add a unique but beautiful touch to the homes of their owners, and hopefully connect with them on a personal level. My pots begin with parts that are thrown on a potters’ wheel, which are then constructed and combined with hand-built additions. Although some may appear functional, the glazes, which are fired at a relatively low temperature, are porous and therefore not safe for food or drink.

Sometimes it seems that my life mirrors the constantly changing and transforming nature of clay. After struggling to keep a studio operating in five moves in as many years, a period of stableness came when I moved home to Southwest Kansas to live near my family and once again become a part of the farming and ranching lifestyle that I value so much. The most recent change is marriage and another move, but with the added benefit of staying in Southwest Kansas. I have once again moved my studio – currently housed in a former chicken coop, which is definitely the most unique structure I’ve worked in next to Old Stadium at Kansas State. Even though physically I am somewhat “settled” now, I feel that my work and I continue to evolve and grow.

I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1992 from Mesa State College and earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Kansas State University in 1996, studying under Yoshiro Ikeda.

My work has been in group exhibitions and competitions across the country. My pieces are featured in galleries in Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and California, and in numerous private and corporate collections.