At age 20, as an undergraduate student at the University of Vermont, I was invited to the ceramic studio to check out what my dear friend Neal was doing in his new course.  Neal gave me a clump of clay and my passion was ignited. Soon, I was taking courses with Hideo.  As a Japanese American he introduced me to Japanese aesthetic, particularly Bizen Ware.  After working a few years as a studio artist, I wrestled with my professional path and decided to bring the creative process to others and became an educator. As an Arts Education Professor at Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, Vermont, I cherished the opportunity to replenish the artistic identity for prospective and current teachers. Now, retired, I have returned to my passion and engage actively as a ceramic artist shifting between functional work and hand-made sculptural pieces.

I have no idea and every idea of what I’m doing. When I hand build or throw on the wheel clay and I are in partnership. Whether spheres or vessels I interplay with the limits of balance, surface design, and space. I find joy and meditation in the constructing- coiling, slabbing, throwing, pinching, scraping, folding-and the pondering of how to end with a feeling of openness from all sides and angles. Regardless of intent I relinquish some control to the kiln, whether gas, pit fired, or Raku. I strive to keep glazing simple where color, design, and overlaps complement form.

During the pandemic with the ceramic studio closed I created  “Covid Characters” using driftwood from Lake Champlain. The gestures and spirit of each character evolved by attending to the uniqueness and possibility of each piece of driftwood.  I believe they converse to each other at night. While not creating you will find me getting lost on some mountain hiking trail, baking bread, giving tours at the historic non-profit Shelburne Farms and our local library, and singing in choral groups.