Firing with wood is almost as ancient as the art of working with clay.  Many who work in clay, myself included, have never out-grown the fascination with fire.  Very few pursuits are as demanding and all-consuming as coaxing 2,400 F out of a wood fire.  At this extraordinary temperature, the chemicals in wood ash begin to melt the clay, forming a wide variety of natural glazes and surface textures that reveal unique warmth to the finished work. 

 I have constructed and fired kilns from many different traditions including, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Native and Colonial American, and a small wood-fired kiln that I designed.  Firing with wood connects the contemporary artist to those who perfected these techniques millennia ago.  In spite of my technical and scientific interest in the processes of clay and glazes, I find a unique reward by feeding the ancient fire-breathing dragon that resides in each kiln.

Many of these works also include modern “fossils”.  Relating to my love of geology, I create casts, molds, and impressions of both modern and ancient forms of life.  With any luck, they may help to tell the story of life millions of years from now.

Whether one of my works spent its final creative moments in a large kiln with hundreds of other pieces, or, if it was touched by flames my small kiln, I hope you can still feel the warmth of the creative fire.

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All work in this gallery is for sale.  Items are titled with : inventory #_height in cm_ price US$

Coffee mugs may be commissioned with custom logo.