I often allow the clay to find its own identity. Like the great makers of Japanese swords, I often speak to my creation as it unfolds from its cocoon. Even when a specific item is being created, like one of my well-known cactus luminaries, I will let it unfold into the creation it chooses. I listen to my clay, and it speaks.

I am a multi-style ceramist, many of my pieces being so different that one might wonder if they came from the hands of the same artist. I strive to make every piece unique, so as to be loved by whomever acquires it.

I will often begin with a very rough idea of what the piece might be, but the clay ultimately determines its own path. My hands merely help it along on its journey. Often, the final piece is a world away from the initial concept. My art is a journey and not a blueprint.

Like my pieces, I work with all types of clay and glazes. I will employ earthy clays and glazes as well as fine porcelain, and the results are always different. In fact, I will often utilize porcelains and sandy grog-filled clays in a single piece for results that are difficult to achieve but spectacular when they come together. Look for my porcelain flowers!

Experimentation is the craft of the adventurous artist. Not being afraid to fail is the first step to success.

Bringing a piece to completion requires great patience and many times a willingness to set work aside to reflect. It can take months for even a simple piece to evolve into its final form. From a lump of clay to its finished and fired form, ceramic pieces are like butterflies; caterpillar to chrysalis to beautiful creature. Impatience is the enemy of a creative spirit.