Bio

I am a studio potter living and working in Dover, Ohio. I have worked with clay for more than two decades, exploring a range of forms, surface treatments, and firing techniques. My other creative interests include photography, wood carving, and drawing. Before retiring, I spent 37 years as a mechanical engineer, a background that continues to influence elements of my ceramic work.

My journey with clay began with my wife, Nancy. Before we were married, she worked as a potter in rural Kentucky, where she helped explore pottery as a potential livelihood for the local community. She kept her kiln and potter’s wheel, and for nearly a decade they moved with us from house to house as we raised our six children.

Eventually, I asked her to teach me how to throw on the wheel. From there, I took pottery classes at a local university and art museum and later attended intensive ceramic workshops at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Colorado, and Touchstone Center for Crafts in Pennsylvania.

Pottery has remained a central part of my creative life. Today I work from my studio in Dover, continuing to explore functional forms, carved surfaces, glaze development, and the small refinements that make handmade objects satisfying to use.

artist statement

My work includes both ornamental and functional pottery, with an emphasis on useful pieces meant to be handled and enjoyed in everyday life. I have always appreciated handmade objects such as mugs, bowls, and plates, particularly when I know something about the person who made them. That connection between maker, object, and use is an important part of what draws me to functional ceramics.

Surface texture is a recurring element in my work. I often incorporate floral or geometric patterns through hand carving, press stamps, trimming marks, and throwing lines. I am especially interested in the way glaze settles into and moves across these textured surfaces, revealing details and adding depth to the finished form.

My use of geometric pattern is influenced by both my interest in wood carving and my background as a mechanical engineer. I enjoy the balance between precision and the subtle variations that come from working by hand. These carved and textured details have become an important part of how I approach form, surface, and craftsmanship.