Tennessee

BFA Austin Peay University

I am drawn to rabbits. I made one and they kept multiplying. When sculpting, I’m not trying to create a lifelike or true rabbit, but rather trying to recreate a pose or a feeling. It’s very satisfying to take a mound of clay and shape it into a creature that takes on its own personality. After hollowing out and refining the rabbit, I add the ears which help define the rabbit’s demeanor. It’s the ears that give them their attitude.

Most of my pieces are Raku fired. The sculptures are taken from the kiln while they are still glowing red hot and then placed in a combustible material such as sawdust or newspaper. This starves them of oxygen, which gives the glaze an amazing variety of colors. It's a thrilling technique because there’s always the anticipation of how each piece will turn out with so many different variables.