Artist Biography
I grew up surrounded by art. My mother was a professional etcher/print maker and I spent large portions of my childhood in her studio. It was sort of an expectation that I would be good at some sort of art and it took me a while to find my medium. I painted some, of course did some print making but I never really liked working with metal. My sister was a jewelry maker and worked with metals and used the lost wax method extensively. My father pursued photography and I shared that passion for a while, and I still love photography although the advent of digital technology has changed that medium forever. Then I happened to come upon clay and as a medium it suited me. I didn’t have to compete with any of my family members and I was able to find a medium that is a variable in its uses and outcomes as my mood.
I did not receive any formal training in art, learning what I have through practice and observation. I did study with two wonderful master potters, Don Johns and Hiroshi Sueyoshi, for years while in Wilmington, NC. Born in NYC in 1955 we spent my childhood in and out of some of the most amazing museums in the world. When they grew tired of the city, my parents moved us to Woodstock, NY where there was, and still is, a very active arts community. We also spent several years on the coast of Maine which is a magical place full of wonderous smells and vistas. Back to Woodstock for my high school years I graduated early and spent 6 months in Finland and traveling before going to college. Since studying art was not something I was encouraged to do in a formal setting, fast forward through the searching years, I ended up with an advanced degree in Occupational Therapy so I could make a living doing something I actually liked doing. I chose this profession because it allowed me to combine my passion for art and working with special needs children. I have had a fulfilling and successful career doing something meaningful to myself and others.
Meanwhile I continued to pursue my creative expression in clay while raising 2 children and now live in rural Tennessee where I have a studio and do clay full time. I have had my work displayed in galleries in Wilmington, NC where we lived before moving to Tennessee and participated in multiple shows and festivals. Currently I have work in galleries in Sparta, Cookeville, Granville and Smithville Tennessee.