Statement
I ended up working in clay because a) I cannot draw, b) media such as wood and metal require one to learn how to use a variety of tools, and c) I have never been clever enough to make art with found objects.
I like the immediacy and simplicity of working with clay. All you need are your hands.
When I go to make a new piece, I try to let the process decide the form that the piece(s) will take. I have a general idea of what I want, but don’t hold myself strictly to that idea. Inspiration for a form may come from a shape found in nature, some newly learned pottery technique, or another artist’s work.
Some of the firing methods I use are raku, naked raku, and sawdust. These techniques leave much to chance. I have a general idea of what will happen in the firing, but cannot control what the final outcome will be.
I love the results of these firings and that they are achieved without specific effort or intent. There can be a natural beauty in chance.
Bio
I moved to Boston in 1994 to study at the Museum School. After graduating from the Diploma Program, I rented studio space in Allston for a couple of years where I worked on wall mounted ceramic sculptures. However, I found it quite difficult to make a living as an artist, so I got a 9 to 5 job. This started a five year break from ceramics.
In 2004 I joined the IT department at Harvard Medical School. Once there, I discovered the Harvard Office for the Arts Ceramics Program, which is where I make my work.
I currently live in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts with my wife, Jane.