Bio
I am a studio potter living and working in Dover, Ohio. I have a passion for clay and have been experimenting with different techniques and forms for over two decades. Besides pottery, I also like to express my creativity through other mediums such as photography, wood carving, and drawing. For the first 37 years of my career, I worked as a Mechanical Engineer which now inspires elements of my work.
My journey with clay began with my wife Nancy. Before we were married, she worked as a potter in rural Kentucky, promoting it as a potential livelihood for the community. She kept her kiln and potter’s wheel, and for about 10 years, they moved with us from house to house while we raised our six young children. Eventually I asked her to teach me how to throw pots on the wheel, and then took pottery classes at the local university and art museum. I have attended intensive ceramic workshops at Penland School of Craft (NC), Anderson Ranch Arts Center (CO), and Touchstone Center for Crafts (PA). Over the past years it has grown from a hobby to my passion and a full-time creative enterprise.
artist statement
My body of work includes both the ornamental and the functional, with a focus on useful, practical pieces. This is drawn from my own enjoyment of using handmade items such as plates or mugs in everyday life and more so, when I know the potter who made them.
Surface texture referencing floral or geometric patterns is something that I like to incorporate in my pieces. I appreciate the way that certain glazes highlight these surface details, increasing the visual interest of the piece. I introduce texture by hand carving with gouges, press stamps, trimming marks, or throwing lines. The use of geometric patterns is also influenced by my interest in wood carving and my career as a mechanical engineer. These additional details provide a design element that amplifies the overall level of craftsmanship contained in the piece.