Artist's Statement

While experimenting with acrylic paint on a ceramic piece, I was interested to see how the patterns, textures and color combinations would look on a larger canvas. The results were thick, vibrant, touchable swirls of color and texture. Now, through trial and error, I have developed a personal style that is both meditative and exciting. I often experiment with different techniques and mixing in different mediums, but always return to my two most gratifying techniques - which I call swirl painting and pressed painting.

My ceramic pieces are an extension of my paintings: they are abstract, non-functional, heavily textured and organic. Whether hanging on the wall, standing alone or in a group, my ceramic projects are meant to express my passion for clay: its sensuality, complexity, vitality, energy and grace. My main goal at the moment and for the future is to reduce my carbon footprint using low fire clays, firing at lower temperatures and using alternate firing techniques.

Both my chosen mediums provide a therapeutic meditation as well as satisfy my desire to experiment; my curiosity to see what would happen if; my obsessive involvement in a project from inception to display; and my compulsive need for repetition and working in multiples. All are strengthened by my stubbornness and determination and, I believe, are revealed in each piece.

Artists such as Jackson Pollock, Joan Brown, George Ohr, Wouter Dam and Peter Voulkos have been my inspiration and validation - they gave me permission to do what I want with paint and clay and encourage me to have as much fun as possible in the process.


As quoted by Joan Brown in 1961: "I loved the application as well as the look of paint right out of the gallon can. I loved what happened where I was using a trowel, the physical exuberance of just whipping through it with a big giant brush."