Why large vessels?

I am drawn to good large pots by their animate presence. As physical objects they evoke a visceral response in viewers and impart new significance to the spaces they occupy.

My artistic practice is investigation — my quest to understand how scale, curve and volume move us. How is it that the slightest alteration can make the difference between a gesture that lifts the veil and one that is impotent? I hope to share the tranquility, awe, and joy that the vessels evoke in me.

Ancient sources revisited

The silhouettes and material of my pieces recall millennia of utilitarian vessel-making, while their scale and generous curves suggest organic and human sculptural form. I seek to unite the spirit and vigor of ancient sources with my own contemporary sensibility.

How they are made

I build large pieces in many stages. Although I work on a potter’s wheel, my approach is essentially sculptural: Beginning with a rough idea of scale and mood, the details of form and decoration arise through an improvisational dance that unfolds section by section as the piece finds its way to completion.

After many days of building and a week or more of drying, I load the vessels into my custom-built kiln, bring them to 2300ºF in a day-long firing, and then allow them to slowly cool over three days. Each time I open the kiln, I have the thrill of seeing how (and if!) they fared through the extreme stresses of transformation by fire.