Philosophy
Welcome!
I’m drawn to simple forms, natural colors, and surfaces with texture and variation. Much of my inspiration comes from the landscapes that have been part of my life—from the open spaces of southwest Montana to the forests, mountains, and coastline of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
I enjoy working in both functional stoneware and alternative firing techniques because they offer very different experiences. With functional pottery, I think about how a piece will feel in the hand, how it will be used, and how form and glaze work together. Raku and horsehair firing are much less predictable. Fire, smoke, carbon, and natural materials all play a part, and I never know exactly what the finished surface will look like.
That balance between intention and surprise is one of the things I enjoy most about pottery. Whether I’m making an everyday bowl or a decorative raku vessel, I want each piece to feel thoughtfully made while still showing the marks of the hand and the process that created it.
My StoryMy path to pottery began in college, when I took several ceramics classes and discovered how much I loved working with clay. Even though life led me in another direction, I always held onto the hope that someday I would become a potter.
I went on to spend 30 years as an elementary school teacher, a career that shaped the way I think about creativity, patience, curiosity, and learning through your hands. After retiring and moving to Sequim, Washington, I finally had the time and space to return to clay.
Before focusing on pottery, I explored many other creative forms, including photography, watercolor painting, driftwood art, and jewelry making. Each of those experiences still influences my work today, from the way I see shape and texture to the way I think about color, balance, and natural materials.
Pine & Kiln Pottery grew out of that lifelong pull toward making things by hand. What started as an old dream has become a deeply rewarding part of my life.