CERAMICS
Selected Works
IDEAS ON CERAMICS
Here are examples of my ceramic pieces. These include hand-built, wheel-thrown, slab, sculptural, and pinch pot works. I teach classes on hand-building sacred vessels as well as functional slab and hand-built pottery. I have also taught courses on wheel throwing.
I truly believe that ceramics is one of the broadest mediums in all of the arts and that is why I am so drawn to it. To be able to create dishes, cups, and functioning ware alongside sculpture and musical instruments makes this medium so dear to me. It wasn't until I was studying with several ceramicists in Costa Rica that I realized the spirituality behind working with clay.
ARTIST STATEMENT ON CERAMICS
Initially, I saw ceramics merely as a medium, holding a rigid view of its potential. It took me a decade to realize the splendor and magnitude of objects built with Mother Earth. Whether they were sculptural or functional, these objects harnessed the power of the natural elements to come to life. In fact, ceramics were among the earliest creations of humankind, playing a crucial role in our evolution to the present day, where we are intertwined with electronic devices and could be considered cyborgs. This realization has led me to explore the past, now creating objects from found clay bodies and crafting totems and instruments as if I were living ten thousand years ago.
Yet, it is not just the historical significance of ceramics that drives me. I have also had the opportunity to work with indigenous peoples across the Americas. I am honored that they have shared their knowledge of building traditional objects with me. From Peruvian whistling vessels used in sacred ceremonies to flutes crafted by Costa Ricans, I have come to understand the spirituality inherent in the medium of clay. I have witnessed practitioners dig from the Earth and shape her into forms, solidifying them using her trees and stones.
As a Water Pourer in sweat lodges, I have studied with Lakota and Mayan elders for many years, crafting my own ceramic vessels for sacred ceremonies, which deepened my connection to Spirit and my Ancestors. My affinity for working with clay is so strong that I feel a sense of deprivation when I am unable to feel it in my hands. It serves as my direct connection to Mother Earth, our people, and our shared history.