Potters Market at the Mint
September 27, 2025
there there pottery, Charlotte NC
My highly patterned and textured functional work is created with red earthenware, terra sigillata, patina, and glaze. Pieces are thrown and altered, or slab/coil built, and are decorated with handmade stamps or applied thin coils; oxidation fired in an electric kiln to cone 03.
The physical and creative nature of working with clay satisfies my desire to play, construct, experiment, and to get dirty. Patterns in textiles, architecture, nature and quilting inspire me to create works that invite touch and evoke a sense of nostalgic comfort. Early in the construction process, clay is soft and pliable; I enjoy building pieces that reflect these properties even after the clay has become hard from firing. I often make pieces with the intention of showing them in a grouping, as though they are conversing with each other.
My choice of working with red earthenware, terra sigillata, patina, and glaze is multifaceted. The combination of these materials creates a beautiful depth of surface that’s often difficult to achieve in an electric kiln, oxidation firing. The beauty of the red clay shining through the thin layers of terra sigillata, especially when it breaks over a stamped texture, continually excites and inspires me. Intentionally using materials that can efficiently be fired at a lower temperature creates a lesser impact on our environment. I also enjoy the connection to potters of the past using similar materials.
Growing up in southern Ohio, I spent my early years watching my mother and grandmothers sew. Upon moving to Charlotte after graduating college, I did not have a clay studio in which to create, so I began to sew myself. Experiences with sewing breathed life into my clay work: patterns, textures and seams from fabrics and textiles inform design and formal decisions.
The isolation of working alone in my studio has heightened my awareness of the importance of people and true community in my life. I experience this community through sharing food, celebrations, worship, teaching, athletic competition, group traveling, and music, as well as interactions with the city itself. My desire for a sense of place and history while living within an urban environment is reflected in my work.