jgpottery

I was always drawn to ceramics at craft shows. After the last of my sons was off and on his own, I began to feel a strong need to explore the creative aspects of life, and so turned to clay.

I began taking beginner's classes and was immediately hooked. Baltimore Clayworks is nationally recognized non-profit clay center with ten resident artists who both teach and create. Aside from hosting exhibits and workshops by nationally and internationally recognized artists, they also offer fellowships to emerging artists, and do significant community outreach in impoverished areas of the city, as well as with ex-offenders.

In my gas fired work, I'm looking for elegance, purity of form, and glazes with depth and character.

In the last several years I have focused mainly on wood-fired vessels. This is how pots were first fired, eons ago. The flame makes its mark -- it embraces the pot, and transforms it. Every pot that emerges from the wood kiln is unique. Holding the pot, seeing the trace of the flame, you have an immediate understanding of how this pot was made, how it was fired -- how it came to be. Every unloading of the kiln is a surprise. You must relinquish expectations of perfection and give yourself over to the fire. I don't glaze the outside of most of my pots so that when you look at it, and hold it, and use it, you can share in the process of its creation.

I like to make humble pots. Pots that reflect simple food, shared with family and friends. Pots you always reach for. Pots that function just as you want them to.