While a student at Swarthmore College, I began studying ceramics in a couple of extra-curricular ceramics classes taught by Paulus Berensohn. In 1975, I spent a semester at the Kansas City Art Institute as a special student and studied in the ceramics program with Ken Ferguson, Victor Babu and George Timock. In addition to working as an independent studio potter, I have also taught pottery to both children and adults. On Long Island, where we lived for over 20 years, I taught pottery as an adjunct faculty member in the art departments of both Dowling College and Adelphi University.
In 1987, I received a Masters degree in Social Work from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and began a second career in social work. I was fortunate enough in July 1998 to return to my studio and divide my time between part-time social work and making pottery. In the fall of 2001, my partner and I moved to Denver, CO. One of our first priorities was converting the existing detached garage behind our house into a functioning pottery studio. In addition to working in my studio, I also am a consultant as a Developmental Social Worker on the Inclusion Team at the Fisher Early Learning Center.
Beginning in the late 1970s, I have worked mainly in high-fired porcelain, using oxidation kilns fired to 2300+ degrees Fahrenheit. One of the wonderful aspects of high-fired porcelain is that it can be thin to the point of translucencey. In addition to making pots, I enjoy developing new glazes and testing the interaction of glazes. Many of my pieces use multiple glazes in overlaps, often with various oxide washes for additional effects.
I see myself as part of the long tradition of artisans, whose goal is to combine function and beauty, in effect creating functional art. I am concerned with the esthetics of my pieces and also with how their beauty and their feel can be incorporated into and enrich experience in daily use. Each piece is hand-crafted, with attention to detail and with no two exactly alike. All my pieces are oven-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe. And because high-fired porcelain is extremely dense and strong, it can last and last. In fact, many pieces we use today have survived decades of use, including the rigors of being hand- and dishwasher-washed by our children when young. The tradition of introducing young children to functional art continues, with our grandchildren's use of their toddler bowls and small pitchers.
