I travel around and document rural architecture and lifestyles. Meticulously, I then carve them out of clay. I thoroughly enjoy digging and carving into clay from a solid form. With a block or chunk of clay I can visualize a barn from with in it or a head from underneath it. It feels as though the objects are already there and I am just peeling the layers back to reveal what I know is underneath. Here are some of the places I have documented and then made out of clay from around the United states and Canada.
At this point the only other mediums I incorporate in my work are photographs. The Photos are direct representations of what I am depicting. They bring to life the reality of the subject matter. The clay carvings show the emotions and human standpoint that a photo cannot. Together they depict a more complete picture.
I use clay because it is difficult and complex. You have to understand every aspect of how to fire it, work with its wet characteristics, promote its flexibilities, understand for each clay body its glaze compatibilities, and hundreds of other details that go into making a piece successful.
