New England potter and ceramics instructor.
I am a New England potter and ceramics instructor specializing in wheel-thrown and hand-altered pottery. My studio is located in the Boston Center for the Arts where I’m elbow deep in pottery and teaching. A major source of inspiration for me comes from both American and British potters who have emerged from the Leach legacy. I also admire rural pottery traditions such as English country slip ware and the spontaneous surface gesture of Japanese Onda.
While combining both wheel thrown and hand-altering techniques, my attention is drawn to an object’s form and its utilitarian aspects that may reference another place or time. I aim to create bold, functional forms with glazes that I formulate to show depth and surface variation.
I studied at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Mass. College of Art in Boston and at the Harvard Ceramics Program. Currently I manage the MIT Ceramic Studio and teach classes both there and in my studio. It’s a joy guiding students to value technique and to troubleshoot numerous aspects of the creative process. With a love of materials, tools and purity of form I believe the artist’s soul, touch and gesture is evident in every piece. I follow the tradition of ‘teacher and artist’ as I strive to create ceramics that invite use.
My demonstration at the national NCECA Conference 2017 in Portland, Oregon went well! It was entitled “Oval Ovation” where I demonstrated how to make oval ceramic forms with fitting lids. It was truly an honor to be one of a small group of artists selected to present in the Process Room.