Biography:
As a native of Kingsport, Tennessee, a relatively small town just above and to the right of the Great Smoky Mountains, I grew up being attracted to the natural world around me. Whether it’s Tennessee’s rolling hills, mountains, lakes, or rivers, I was always out exploring in my own way, and still do today. I have always had a great deal of interest in art, even at an early age, and consider myself lucky to have attended great schools and universities for nourishing my love and desire to make art. In high school I took every art class that was offered, including two ceramics courses, and I think that really built the foundation for the artist that I have become. After high school I went on to study at five colleges, ultimately receiving my Bachelor of Arts at Ferrum College in 2011. In 2014 I received my Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from Kent State University, where I studied under the direction of the late Kirk Mangus, and his partner, Eva Kwong. Without their guidance, enduring mentorship, and love for their students, I would not be the artist that I am today.
Artist Statement:
The majority of my sculptures are made through working intuitively with my material to convey a heightened sense of balance and tension within each piece. I usually have a general idea of what I am looking for in each sculpture, but I tend to work quickly, and make deliberate decisions based on the movement and physical response from the clay.
After abstracting the zoomorphic or human elements, my works begin to suggest landscapes, animals, or parts of a body. I love being able to test the clay’s structural limitations as a medium, therefore, I want you to experience the physical relationship I have with my material. I am fascinated by the range of possibilities that result from atmospheric firings, which are derived from wood, salt, and soda kilns, as well as the immediacy and range of colors achieved from raku kilns and post-fire reduction.
The results achieved from the wood firing process are unpredictable, but you can encourage certain things to happen based on how it is stacked in the kiln, or with the use of slips, glazes, or wadding. The relatively unpredictable nature of wood firing, combined with the flow of air, fire, and ash is a great complement to my work. The variety of colors and surface textures achieved in the process accentuate the sculptural and tactile qualities of my forms.