ARTIST STATEMENT

From my best recollection, I’ve been spinning mud for approximately 40 years. I participated in many art fairs throughout the midwest, which was a fun period in my life but not an easy way to make a living. I started working in some small production shops, where the money came in on a regular basis and it was a good way to improve throwing skills. My last long-time job within the industry was with Red Wing Pottery, which had a great history and many traditions that we, as a small crew of artists and craftsmen kept alive by producing a line of salt-glazed stoneware, which was the first style of pottery Red Wing created on a large basis. Lately, my interests have shifted to more sculptural forms, with some influences coming from Mexican surrealism, American folklore, and Pagan whimsy. I never know where the endpoint should be when the create process is cooking and a sculpture is coming alive on its own. Through my experiences in travelling to different parts of the world, I’m posibite that, on some level, my memories come out through the finished piece; whether they were physical or mental realms and realities, I can’t really say. I love clay and it’s malleable qualities and infinite possibilities.