I was lucky enough to discover my love of clay while I was in High School, where my art teacher (and parents) supported and encouraged that love. During college, I studied ceramics at Penn State Univeristy. After receiving my BFA in ceramics in 1999, I moved across the country to Portland, Oregon. Since then, I have worked with clay in varying degrees and in various situations, coming and going and returning again, never able or willing to stay away for too long. My most recent return to clay occurred after the birth of my son in 2012 as an attempt to work from home, and with the encouragement of my husband to follow my passions.

My ceramic work is both wheelthrown and handbuilt, made of mid-range stoneware and fired in oxidation. This work is fully functional, and yet I love to bring an element of the decorative to my pieces through their handpainted surfaces. This underglaze decoration is applied freehand, without stencils or decals, and is thus a timely (yet enjoyable) endeavor. My hope is that as my pieces are used in everyday home life, that they will add an element of beauty and stillness to their users lives.

I find much of my inspiration from the natural world and my husband's gardens, from the playfulness and joy of my son, and from textile arts from around the world (including India, Turkey, Japan, Africa, as well as those from the Amish and Dutch communities from my home state of Pennsylvania.) Recently, I have also been considering the quilting traditions in my own family. The slow-food and the farm-to-table (or farm-to-plate as I like to call it) movements are also beginning to influence the direction my work is taking. I believe that eating non-industrialized food off of non-industrialized tableware elevates the ideals of the farm-to-table movement of slowing down to appreciate quality, bringing people together in community, engaging the senses, and more. I hope that someday my work can help do these things as well, whether it be at special farm events or in the homes of people sharing a simple meal together.