Working in clay presents joys and challenges. It is a very complex craft with diverse processes required for the completion of each piece. All of my pottery is produced entirely in my home-studio. I use clay from east Texas, my ancestral home. Most of my pottery is thrown on the potters wheel--though recently I've begun handbuilding some pieces from slabs rolled from the clay. I mix my glazes "from scratch" in my studio and apply them by dipping or spraying. Each piece is fired twice in my electric kiln--once to 1930 degrees Fahrenheit (bisque firing) and then to 2185 Fahrenheit (glaze firing).

The joys keep me working at it, the challenges keep me young—or so I tell myself! Through my immersion in pottery-making I have met wonderful potters from across the US, Canada, Europe and Japan and have been led to new and fascinating experiences of art, literature and culture. I have found that potters are incredibly generous and interesting people who form an international community through their common passion for working with clay. My passion for clay has enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined just 4 years ago.