I started working with clay during my last year of undergrad. My first formal class was an independent studio in the woods of Bass Lake, CA facilitated by a crunchy production potter. Ceramics was the only class I didn’t make an A. I didn’t make things like I was supposed to; I hand-built too thin, liked when my work cracked a little, sometimes preferred not to high fire them, left pieces unglazed, or applied watered-down acrylic paints to finish them. I appreciated the imperfections and frankly had a lot of fun trying things out. I’ve been playing around with clay through community studios ever since and recently moved into a studio space of my own to continue to make, grow and learn at a new-to-me pace. I love working with clay. The material is forgiving, the experience is often playful, and the process encourages me to slow down. Being in the studio is one of my greatest sources of joy. I draw inspiration from walks in nature, staring out the window on road trips or plane rides, a catchy song lyric, a clever play on words, and rummaging around objects of the past in antique malls. 

Photos taken by my mighty talented friend Bethany (Betty) Siekmeier