Bio
I’m a recent graduate of Berea College with a degree in Ceramics and Environmental Science. I have always created, but I did not discover clay as a medium for my work until my first year at Berea, where I fell in love with the process. I knew immediately that ceramics was something that I wanted to pursue. By combining my passion for ceramics and the natural world, I have discovered my ‘niche’ in the clay world. My work consists of slab-built, hand-built ceramics—both functional and decorative—all of which incorporate a ‘reminder’ of nature’s beauty.
Artist Statement
My favorite memories of childhood are of the times spent in my grandmother’s garden. My grandmother was an artist who painted watercolors of her favorite flowers. Although I do not share my grandmother’s green thumb and power to make things grow, I do share her admiration for flowers. To this day when I am in a garden in bloom, I am struck by its beauty and power to evoke memories of my past.
Flowers have the potential to be associated with innocence, femininity, and ephemeral moments. They also have the potential to bring me back to a moment in time. When I create, I glorify the memories and priceless moments that are symbolized by my flowers. My work is nostalgic, borrowing from a feeling that is both poignant and sweet.
I am often reminded about the frailty evident in floral forms. This fragility inspires my work; each flower symbolizes the tenacious hold that I have over the fleeting moments in my life. This emphasized impermanence of a moment, the significance of memories passed, provided fruitful terrain for my work.
Inspiration & Process
I gain inspiration for my work from my time spent in nature, specifically within my home of eastern Kentucky. The time spent meditating in nature alongside gathering the plants for my work plays a major role in my process of creation. Each piece, whether it is a decorative floral sculpture or functional mug, is hand-built from large, flat slabs of clay. For my functional work, the native Kentucky plants are arranged pressed into the slab before cutting it and shaping it into a piece of functional pottery. For my decorative sculpture work, I hand cut each petal from slabs and manipulate the shapes as they slowly come together to form a floral form. I love the process of handbuilding and the time it allows me to delve into each detail of the form, so that each piece is different and reflects my time spent in the process.
I’m a recent graduate of Berea College with a degree in Ceramics and Environmental Science. I have always created, but I did not discover clay as a medium for my work until my first year at Berea, where I fell in love with the process. I knew immediately that ceramics was something that I wanted to pursue. By combining my passion for ceramics and the natural world, I have discovered my ‘niche’ in the clay world. My work consists of slab-built, hand-built ceramics—both functional and decorative—all of which incorporate a ‘reminder’ of nature’s beauty.
Artist Statement
My favorite memories of childhood are of the times spent in my grandmother’s garden. My grandmother was an artist who painted watercolors of her favorite flowers. Although I do not share my grandmother’s green thumb and power to make things grow, I do share her admiration for flowers. To this day when I am in a garden in bloom, I am struck by its beauty and power to evoke memories of my past.
Flowers have the potential to be associated with innocence, femininity, and ephemeral moments. They also have the potential to bring me back to a moment in time. When I create, I glorify the memories and priceless moments that are symbolized by my flowers. My work is nostalgic, borrowing from a feeling that is both poignant and sweet.
I am often reminded about the frailty evident in floral forms. This fragility inspires my work; each flower symbolizes the tenacious hold that I have over the fleeting moments in my life. This emphasized impermanence of a moment, the significance of memories passed, provided fruitful terrain for my work.
Inspiration & Process
I gain inspiration for my work from my time spent in nature, specifically within my home of eastern Kentucky. The time spent meditating in nature alongside gathering the plants for my work plays a major role in my process of creation. Each piece, whether it is a decorative floral sculpture or functional mug, is hand-built from large, flat slabs of clay. For my functional work, the native Kentucky plants are arranged pressed into the slab before cutting it and shaping it into a piece of functional pottery. For my decorative sculpture work, I hand cut each petal from slabs and manipulate the shapes as they slowly come together to form a floral form. I love the process of handbuilding and the time it allows me to delve into each detail of the form, so that each piece is different and reflects my time spent in the process.