Artist Statement

Ceramics as a medium is a cycle of creation, deconstruction, and experimentation. The endless possibilities have always captivated me. I want to make unappealing effects look appealing to the viewer by creating forms perceived as “damaged” and/or using glazes on my pottery that would be seen as catastrophic failures. I enjoy pushing the boundary between what is usable and what is unsafe to use. I see it as exploring the “sweet spot” of “too much damage.” Exploring different glaze effects, such as “gloop” and/or crawling glazes, allows me to create unique finishes on the surface of my vessels. This demonstrates the control I have over these messy and unappealing effects. Imperfect or damaged beauty is something I’ve always been influenced by and love exploring with my use of glazes and the way the vessels themselves are formed.

Even when vitrified, clay can be reworked and deconstructed to be used to create something new. The interactions between different materials used while working with ceramics have opened a world of opportunities for me and will continue to influence my experimentation. It is important for me to explore and pursue questions I have about how these different materials react to the firing process.