The Process.

This series of coiled-and-pinched vessels came from a self-imposed assignment to make something using only a few tools. My hope is that the finished piece reflects my skill and control of the material while acknowledging the limitations and idiosyncrasies of my hands and body.

I begin a day in the studio by making a few sketches, wedging clay and rolling a pile of coils. I work on eight to ten forms at a time, rotating from one to another as they stiffen enough to continue building up the thin walls. It takes about two days to finish a group of vessels. Typically, I work in this rhythm for two weeks before I have enough work to fire. Once the vessels are dry, they are loaded and fired in a bisque kiln, allowed to cool for a day, then sanded and washed in preparation for the glaze application. I dip the pots into a large bucket of glaze to get a thick and even coating. All the work is then fired in an electric kiln to 2230 degrees (cone 6).