I work with porcelain. I love the feel of the clay and the excitement I experience as I push the limits of its elasticity. The moment when I sense the material is nearest its breaking point has me hooked. Sometimes this results in loss, but this cusp is exhilarating and produces a porcelain that is permeable to light, creating an enchanting and unique glow when illuminated. Seeking this delicate edge and translucency is what drives my work. 

 

The dichotomy of porcelain fascinates me. It can be extremely strong and durable and at the same time delicate, translucent, and lightweight. It is rigid when fired and an almost stretchy plastic when wet. I attempt to highlight the fragility and strength of the material in my work through illumination and form.

 

By strategically illuminating my work, I am able to add further dimension to the pieces. Glaze is minimal, the surface design is the clay itself. Light allows viewers to see what is going on inside the clay walls. One can almost see the motion of the clay particles before firing, the life of the clay revealed through illumination.

 

Utilizing both wheel-throwing and molding techniques, my current work focuses on the development of vessels and forms that explore the use of and interaction with light in varying ways. From translucent vessels and myriad enclosed forms to mobiles that create their own play with shadow, these pieces explore the intersection of light and shadow as well as translucency and line. 

 

Plastic, glass, and natural materials are incorporated. These materials both block and move the light, creating motion and interest. There is an active play between nature and objects influenced by nature’s forces as well as an examination and illumination of the role humans play in manufacturing and disposing of these objects.

 

I’m driven to continue pursuing ways to highlight this elemental edge.