I have always been interested in the interplay of light and shadow on various forms. I am a visually oriented person who strives for excellence in every piece that I create. An early image is the stark contrast of a beam of sunlight streaming through a hole in the barn wall illuminating a bale of hay in the loft with the dust in the air dancing in the sunbeam. These images captured by my mind's eye naturally led me to pursue photography as a means to share my vision. Early on, I learned from my father and started taking photos with a small 110 camera. I soon moved on to various 35 mm cameras and now use a digital SLR camera to capture images of the world around me and the beauty of our surroundings.
Clay forms, decoration techniques and the joy of physically creating an object, based on an image in my mind's eye, came from the influence of my mother. She became involved in ceramics during my late public school years and I learned as she did and continued to do so through high school and college. After a long break, I decided to take a wheel throwing pottery course to try to re-connect with the art of my past. In this medium, I found a way to create a canvas where I could explore the play of light, shadow and colour. I love to create three-dimensional objects that are both useful and beautiful. Clay has gotten under my nails. Light and shadow have become fire and smoke. The movement of colour frozen in an instant from glaze that has run down the side of a bowl is a snap shot depicting colour, depth and texture. In mastering control over form and glazing techniques, I am able to create beautiful functional pottery that are also pieces of art. |