Artist's Statement

Organic shapes and textures are primary elements in my work. I enhance the surfaces via drawing, writing, patterns, etc. and often use strong color to convey energy in my clay forms. I've always liked looking at animals and knowing about them. Their forms and their personalities inspire me. Perhaps some of this comes from a childhood of reading lots of fairy tales and fantasies. Animal forms have been, and still are, strong factors in my sculptural vocabulary and these have evolved, as I have. The stylistic and thematic changes reflect my inner changes. I often use humor and whimsy in my work. One of my strong beliefs is that a sense of humor is essential to our survival on all levels — spiritual, psychological and physical. A re-occurring theme in my work is relationships of all sorts — human, animal, with others and with ourselves. Recently, I've begun to use the human figure in my work and see that as a future direction. I am also allowing more of the clay quality to show in some of my work and not covering it with glazes.

My work reflects all the different aspects of my personality and experiences so it will vary with what I need to express at that moment. Though I consider my most significant work to be sculpture, I also enjoy and make a lot of semi-functional and functional ware.