Personal Statement

I grew up doing many creative things: woodworking, building, cooking, game design. At a certain point I got an office job and was hungering for a creative outlet. I went down to the local pottery studio and signed up for an evening class. I fell in love right away and have been a dedicated ceramicist ever since. I was lucky enough to be learning ceramics at one one the best pottery galleries in the country. Every time I went in to work I got to walk past some of the best contemporary ceramics being shown anywhere. This had both a huge influence on my work and on my conception of what was possible with ceramics in general. There is a calmness in being at the pottery wheel that at times can take over everything. The clay moving through my fingers feels soothing. At the same time a single error can ruin the pot I am making. This demand on my attention combined with the gentle physicality has been both a way of coping when things are hard and a consistent source of joy. I had a wonderful art teacher when I was a teenager. He taught me a classical approach to figure drawing. In his classes we would break down the process of drawing into many different elements, and than practice each separately before eventually putting them back together again. As I taught myself pottery I used this same technique for learning, leading to a deep and thorough understanding of clay. I tend to be very driven in my pottery. Taking a break when I am feeling burned out is one of the hardest lessons I have had to learn. When my identity is tied to something so closely, if I need to let it go for 6 months, it can feel like a loss of self. Having a range of things I find valuable and working to have community around different areas of my life can help me navigate the ebb and flow of being a creative person. I hope that having beautiful handmade objects enriches people's lives. I imagine them using a mug or bowl and being drawn into the moment, tasting their food or tea more clearly. Maybe it makes doing the dishes a bit more interesting. Maybe there is some emotional expression of mine that they can feel. Finding meaning in making pots can sometimes be something I struggle with. I know I find joy in making them, and maybe that is enough. I hope that others find joy in using them. I hope it makes the world a more beautiful and joyful place. I don’t want to be just making more objects, as gosh knows the world has plenty of stuff in it already. maybe I just have to believe that doing something I find so much joy in must also be meaningful or important to others too.