ABOUT SESPE POTTERY

Shaped by natural forces, both my pottery and I are indelibly marked by landscape. Whether hiking in Sespe Wilderness or throwing in my studio, the harmony of simple shape, function, and interplay of hue--both subtle and dramatic—open a usable space inside both the vessel and the potter. A vase or bowl may trace the small variations of chaparral color in late afternoon light or the dynamic circus of a Sierra sunset mirrored in high- country lake. Recent works have reflected a palette inspired by the Thomas Fire of 2017, and the vegetative riot that followed it in the spring.

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More than an aesthetic, however, I am compelled to work in clay for many of the same reasons I crave backcountry travel: I must accept and adapt to materials and conditions that vary from day to day. Nothing is rote. Throwing in stiff, groggy clay summons strength and patience —wrangling it upwards when it prefers to sit in muscular obstinance, or pulling up soft re-claim that wants to shudder and twist when faced with a touch too insistent--I am forced to circle back, draw on my resources, adjust the plan.

Beginning with clay that reflects local color, I aim to design works that appeal both to the eye, and the hand. Primarily functional, I hope my pottery invokes the history between humans and the very ground we gather up to shape to meet our needs and whimsy, bringing food and beauty into the intimacy of our homes.