My passion for clay began in 2003 when I found myself standing in the ceramics room of Waukesha West High School. This is when I met Peter Loose, one of the biggest influences in my life. Over those four years of working with him , I progressed from taking one section of ceramics my freshman year, to four sections my senior year. At this time I also advanced to working in a local clay studio the Waukesha Clay Art Guild. Pete had introduced me to Raku in the spring of 2004 and I have embrenced the element of surprise ever since.
Then in November 2008 I opened my own art gallery, The Clinton St. Gallery in Downtown Waukesha. It has went so well that April 1st 2009 I expanded the gallery into the next storefront and now have my studio open to the public for classes and studio membership. I appreciate all the help I have received from those around me and I couldn't have done it without them. I am very excited to see where this road leads me in the next few years and I couldnt be any happier to do what I love for a living.
My work not only represents my personality but also the fact that I like to push things to the edge, both physically (pushing the clay body to its’ limits) and also in terms of acceptability. I love to create things that keep the mind boggled, leaving questions like, what and why. To me this shows it is something original, it has never been done before and it gives me satisfaction knowing no two people get the same thing from it. Although I do get criticism, I never take it the wrong way; I only grow from it, using it to my advantage in creating something both visually pleasing and challenging to the average viewer. Although I try to use criticism constructively, I always keep an open mind and remember that my opinion is most important. I love art and cannot get enough of it. I just keep discovering new techniques with each new media I have come in contact with, and this seems to make my work process seem endless. Art is something that no one can be better at than another but instead it is more that one has complete freedom of expression, it is a way to show others things without actually having to say it. I know I have done wrong in my life; some that I regret and others that I have just gained valuable experience from. From all the things I have experienced in my life, art is one I find to be the most satisfying and one I will never regret getting myself into. I have learned many life lessons through art; whether it is trying to realize the full extent to which material can be manipulated (both physically and conceptually), or the fact that things can always be improved even when you have doubts about them. Everything in your life happens for a reason, in some cases they can lead you down the right road and others can lead you to a dead end. My intention in my artist statement is to give you a better view of me as an artist and also as a person.
Then in November 2008 I opened my own art gallery, The Clinton St. Gallery in Downtown Waukesha. It has went so well that April 1st 2009 I expanded the gallery into the next storefront and now have my studio open to the public for classes and studio membership. I appreciate all the help I have received from those around me and I couldn't have done it without them. I am very excited to see where this road leads me in the next few years and I couldnt be any happier to do what I love for a living.
My work not only represents my personality but also the fact that I like to push things to the edge, both physically (pushing the clay body to its’ limits) and also in terms of acceptability. I love to create things that keep the mind boggled, leaving questions like, what and why. To me this shows it is something original, it has never been done before and it gives me satisfaction knowing no two people get the same thing from it. Although I do get criticism, I never take it the wrong way; I only grow from it, using it to my advantage in creating something both visually pleasing and challenging to the average viewer. Although I try to use criticism constructively, I always keep an open mind and remember that my opinion is most important. I love art and cannot get enough of it. I just keep discovering new techniques with each new media I have come in contact with, and this seems to make my work process seem endless. Art is something that no one can be better at than another but instead it is more that one has complete freedom of expression, it is a way to show others things without actually having to say it. I know I have done wrong in my life; some that I regret and others that I have just gained valuable experience from. From all the things I have experienced in my life, art is one I find to be the most satisfying and one I will never regret getting myself into. I have learned many life lessons through art; whether it is trying to realize the full extent to which material can be manipulated (both physically and conceptually), or the fact that things can always be improved even when you have doubts about them. Everything in your life happens for a reason, in some cases they can lead you down the right road and others can lead you to a dead end. My intention in my artist statement is to give you a better view of me as an artist and also as a person.