Gallery

My pots begin with clay made in North Carolina, thrown on the wheel or handbuilt using a pinch and scrape method or formed on custom made molds.  I dip each piece in a colored base slip and then bisque fire.  After the pieces come out, I begin the decorating process.  Designs are first drawn in pencil, and then meticulously painted in with wax resist.  I take inspiration from hikes in the beautiful mountains around me, as well as field guides about birds and native plants.  Each piece is then dipped in a contrasting slip which the waxed designs resist.  This gives the images an almost stencil like, slightly dimensional quality.  Finally the pots are fired in a wood burning kiln for around 18-20 hours.  Salt is introduced towards the end of the firing to give a light glaze to the work and bring out lustrous metallic tones in some of the slips.  The final pieces are an expression of painting with clay, fire, and ash.