Although I have studied all manner of ceramic finishes and firing techniques, I remain captivated with the method of pit firing. Pit Firing, for me, is the final expression between nature and man’s desire to replicate it, and nature’s command of that final expression. I love the fact that you can use the same materials – clay body, chemical enhancements (oxides, sulfates, etc.), and firing materials and because no two days are ever the same, your work is at the final mercy of nature’s elements – temperature, humidity, and wind. For me, it’s a full circle interaction with our natural surroundings. We draw the clay from the earth, mold it to reflect our expression and give it back to the earth for her final thumbprint. A well-fired piece feels like a blessing from the earth. Nature has approved of the exhibition of what I have felt and seen.
While I appreciate a beautiful ceramic piece that can begin and end in its singularity, for me, it is but part of a process. My ceramic pieces are my foundation on which to build a final vessel which incorporates pine needle basketry as well as natural and found objects. Each piece is like the building of a nest and no two pieces will ever be the same even though I incorporate many of the same materials in each sculpture. Like nature – the same components may be utilized; but expressed so differently in their final form.
Each new sculpture is a journey all of it’s own. No two pieces are alike, nor will they ever be…
