Artist Statement:
In 2010 I entered a new direction in my professional arts career - retiring from arts administration and entering the studio. Throughout my 28 years as Director of four centers I enrolled in workshops, trying to hone in on one medium that would continue to challenge me. Wood firing in clay won out, with its many variables, it is something that can excite and frustrate an artist with two lifetimes.
Moving to the western mountains of North Carolina in 2000 to become Director of the University of North Carolin, Center for Craft, Creativity and Design (www.craftcreativitydesign.org) threw me into a community of nationally recognized potters firing with wood. The opportunity to assist Judith Duff (www.judithduffpottery.com) in loading and firing of her train and anagama wood fire kilns sealed my fate. By retirement in 2010, the tools of a clay studio had been assembled. Workshops over those ten years including Shozo Michakawa (Penland), Jason Hess (Arrowmont), Will Baker and Judith Duff (Odessey) Pietro Magdelina (La Meridiana, Italy) and John Dix (Judith Duff Studio). In fall 2012 I assisted Judith Duff in her wood fired pottery workshop at La Meridiana (photo above).
After firing with a number of potters, in many wood fire kilns, I embarked in 2012 to build my "Cougar Kiln" designed for women over 50 who want to wood fire. A fast fire with construction criteria designed to lessen the physical impact while still giving flame and ash action on the pots. And a career in wood fired pottery is launched. The first firing took place in January 2013 - many thanks to Will Baker (www.williambakerpottery.com) for his design and construction assistance resulting in a kiln easy to load, and fire, reaching cone 11 throughout the stacking chamber.
In 2010 I entered a new direction in my professional arts career - retiring from arts administration and entering the studio. Throughout my 28 years as Director of four centers I enrolled in workshops, trying to hone in on one medium that would continue to challenge me. Wood firing in clay won out, with its many variables, it is something that can excite and frustrate an artist with two lifetimes.
Moving to the western mountains of North Carolina in 2000 to become Director of the University of North Carolin, Center for Craft, Creativity and Design (www.craftcreativitydesign.org) threw me into a community of nationally recognized potters firing with wood. The opportunity to assist Judith Duff (www.judithduffpottery.com) in loading and firing of her train and anagama wood fire kilns sealed my fate. By retirement in 2010, the tools of a clay studio had been assembled. Workshops over those ten years including Shozo Michakawa (Penland), Jason Hess (Arrowmont), Will Baker and Judith Duff (Odessey) Pietro Magdelina (La Meridiana, Italy) and John Dix (Judith Duff Studio). In fall 2012 I assisted Judith Duff in her wood fired pottery workshop at La Meridiana (photo above).
After firing with a number of potters, in many wood fire kilns, I embarked in 2012 to build my "Cougar Kiln" designed for women over 50 who want to wood fire. A fast fire with construction criteria designed to lessen the physical impact while still giving flame and ash action on the pots. And a career in wood fired pottery is launched. The first firing took place in January 2013 - many thanks to Will Baker (www.williambakerpottery.com) for his design and construction assistance resulting in a kiln easy to load, and fire, reaching cone 11 throughout the stacking chamber.