For most of my work, I use “slab construction,” in which a hunk of clay is thrown repeatedly against a canvas-covered board to flatten and shape the clay. When the clay has flattened sufficiently to be picked up like pizza dough, it is repeatedly thrown down on the board, rotating and flipping the clay with each throw until it is thin enough to roll. Then, using a large rolling pin and guides to keep the thickness uniform, the clay is rolled to an even thickness. The resulting sheet of clay is then manipulated to create the sculpture, with individual elements sculpted and attached as the piece takes shape.

Some of my sculptures are also created by modeling and/or by carving a block of clay. Finished pieces must be hollow and the walls of fairly even thickness to allow the clay to dry evenly and completely. If a piece is not completely dry, or has trapped pockets of moist air, it can explode during firing. Hollowing out a modeled or carved sculpture can be difficult, time-consuming and is a delicate procedure.

When the clay is dry, it is called “greenware,” and is extremely fragile. The greenware is then bisque-fired-- a slow firing over approximately 24 hours.

After the bisque-firing, a variety of glazes are applied by hand. Glazing can be exacting work and may take many hours. After the glazes are dry, the pieces are fired a second time, at high temperatures (2,150 degrees Fahrenheit), for 14 or more hours.

For me, one of the joys of working in clay is the surprise of seeing the finished piece. Because each piece is unique, I experiment with the glaze and often do not know exactly how the piece will really look. If I am not satisfied with the glaze, I will re-glaze the piece and fire it again.

Hand-building is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. Every finished piece is unique and crafted entirely by hand. Each of my works is one-of-a-kind with no duplicates of any piece.

These high-fired pieces may be left outdoors year-round in mild climates. Although I have left pieces outside over the winter without problems, I recommend that they be brought indoors for winters in areas where there is freezing and thawing. They may be brought outdoors again after the danger of hard frost has passed.