I guess I’ve always been a secret artist.  After 35 years in a banking career, I decided to focus on revealing that part of me.  Forays into painting, drawing, collage and gourd art did not lift the veil.  A veteran clay artist offered to help me get my hands dirty.  The moment I felt the squishy, earthy, malleable clay in my hands I was hooked.

I wanted to make everything!  Vases, pots, trays, cups, figures.  I had so many ideas and no idea how to actually bring them to fruition.  She worked with me weekly in her studio and I started experimenting, reading and watching everything I could find on clay.  I found working with clay teaches patience, no instant gratification here.  Weeks can go by before you finally open the kiln to reveal your creation, never exactly as you envisioned, intrigued to try again.

Covid restrictions forced me to work alone at home and with so much more time to devote to clay I started sculpting garden inspired totem poles, from 18 inches to 5 feet tall.  The whimsical components helped alleviate the isolation we felt during that time. 

Inspiration, for me, has always been found in nature.  Whether serene or surprising, every detail tells a story.  I try to capture a moment or an emotion in each totem piece.  Be happy, life is beautiful!