Bio
A
moss covered rock. The delicate wing of a butterfly.
Slippery
worms.
The rough texture
of tree bark. Since my early
childhood, I have been acutely
attuned to the aesthetics of the world around me, noticing the details in
nature. I began to gain an appreciation for the visual arts, as I worked
with various mediums and during my visits to The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In a two week summer art program during sixth grade, I was introduced to the
potter’s wheel. I was delighted to find how my sense of touch was so
satisfied by the feel of the clay spinning on the wheel, and the idea of a
finished product excited me. That experience would set me along the path
that has led me to where I am today.
Over the next couple years, I worked at my new-found craft and taught myself as much as I could. As a junior in high school, I knew I needed a teacher in order to develop further, so I set my sights on an art village, Peter’s Valley Craft Center, which was located in my area. During the first workshop, I worked under Fred Olsen and quickly developed many new skills. He taught many basics about throwing, as well as techniques to make specific pieces. Since then I have been privileged to receive scholarships to attend additional workshops with Fred Olsen, Lynn R. Munns, and Mary Roehm. In college, I continued to work in clay, but also gained a much needed knowledge for the formal elements of a work and how to form pieces whose elements work together to create the most satisfying, interesting, and/or beautiful composition. My ceramic professor was Gary Baxter, as well as Alice Drew and Jeff Kell, who each helped me grow in my work. All of my experiences greatly increased my technical throwing skills and also helped me to gain a strong understanding of design principles, as well as inspired me to work hard and to continue to improve.
Today, the texture and appearance of the smooth, wet clay still draws me to the studio. The elegance of the piece that I know I am about to create brings even more joy to the experience. As I work, I am not concerned about where my body of work is or where it will eventually end up, but I push forward, and over time it morphs from one body of work slowly to the next. After a year of producing my art, my first and last pieces may look completely unrelated, however, you would find an evolution of form, texture, and style from the first to the last.
I graduated from Houghton College in May of ’07 with a BA in Studio Art with my concentration in ceramics. I spent the past 4 months working as the ceramics' studio assistant at the college, mixing glazes, firing kilns, giving demonstrations to the college’s ceramics class, and working on my own pieces. I have now ventured back to New Jersey to begin my own studio here. I am currently setting up my studio, applying to art shows, teaching ceramic lessons, and working to gain clientele. I am so excited about this new year and the triumphs and challenges it will bring!