Artist's Statement

A few years ago, I visited a guitar factory in Memphis and was captivated with the bending, glueing and inlaying in the process of building a guitar. I realized that this fascination with the process of building has been part of my being since childhood and is fundamental to my creativity in clay. Clay sculpture is a highly tactile process that allows me to translate my ideas into 3-dimensional pieces of sculpture.

Growing up in a family of craftspeople, including boat builders and stonemasons, has given me the fundamentals to create. That, combined with an interest in architecture and construction, has moved my current work toward crude buildings, bridges and other structures. The beauty of this work is not only in the form but in the surfaces.

Developing a crude, rustic, distressed surface is my primary goal. To that end, I have been experimenting with clay bodies, firing techniques and glazes to simulate the textures of weather-beaten aged wood, rusted steel and stone. The results of this experimentation are evident in my work. That said, I do, at times, stray into the unknown, as you will see in the gallery.

When the viewer is drawn to the surface textures' details, I know I have achieved success.