Halloween is my favorite holiday, autumn my favorite time of year, so Halloween-themed ceramics were a natural step for me. I'm fascinated with the ancient Japanese glazing and firing technique of Raku, and have been studying that and applying my knowledge to both my Halloween art and more mainstream pottery.
I have been fortunate enough to have my work chosen for display in Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum, and for "Feats of Clay," an international ceramics show. Out of the over 1000 entries the show reviews every year, my work was chosen to display! How wonderful is that?
Expanding my knowledge of ceramics is my first priority, so I'm starting a new semester in college studying alternative firing techniques and the next level of ceramics. I think it's important to always be in school, so I can surround myself with other creative people to fuel my creative gas tank.
I write, produce, and present a segment on a monthly internet radio show called Hauntcast (http://hauntcast.net) which allows me to explore all the wonderful and mysterious aspects of my favorite holiday. I also maintain a regular Halloween-themed blog at http://shellhawksnest.blogspot.com.
While I worked in the dental field for twenty-two years, I escaped, and now teach ceramics and Raku at the local Parks and Recreation Department. I feel very blessed that I get to do what I love for a living at long last!
