Biography:

Artist's Statement


I am inspired by women… their beauty, their movement, especially their shapes and silhouettes. Bringing the curvaceous nature of the female body forward, I create works that are both sensual and enticing. Sharp angles are seamlessly integrated with sensual curves in my "Sister Series." The Surface is emphasized using a variety of thickly applied slips and glazes resulting in rough and uneven textures. This rawness and antiquity is also reflected in my new series "Glamour Girls", using the printmaking on clay and slip to slip techniques. Continuing my obsession with clay and shapes, coil built ancient vessels are created with imagery of World War II Pinup Girls coupled with sensory adjectives.




Explanation of Soda Firing:

Soda Firing constantly intrigues me, specifically because of its random, uncontrollable flashes of color and orange peel surface. The finish is formed from the chemical reactions with the elements of the clay body itself. Soda Firing uses a mixture of baking soda, soda ash, woodchips, and whiting. This solution is added to the kiln at the hottest point of reduction (2,300 degrees!) and then vaporized producing atmospheric effects such as flashes of color, a characteristic orange peel surface, and glaze-like finishes. It is uncontrollable and random, which enhances the creative process for me.

Image Transfer Process: A photocopy is made with a copier - usually the copiers that work best are the older ones. The ink is created using a specific formula... oil-based transparent ink mixed with mason stains, and loosened with easy wipe compound. Gum Arabic is flooded onto the photocopy which adheres to the toner. This is followed by four or five steps, interchanging with water -- which is sponged off -- then inked (rolled on with a brayer) interchanging each action four or five times. (we have coined the phrase 'spongeworthy' when you finally achieve the aeroplane-like, forearm action). The water removes the ink that does not adhere to the toner. The image is then burnished onto the clay at the greenware stage, usually with a wooden spoon but a porcelein door knob works even better.

Slip to Slip Technique: A true printmaker I have become! and have recently learned that images are 'crisper' using this technique. First you expose your images onto a silkscreen. I try to get as many images on one screen as possible. Using water-based ink mixed with mason stains, images are silkscreened onto paper... usually newsprint works or photocopy paper. Cut out the image, slip it with white porcelein or colored slips and/or underglazes...Then slip the section of your piece either with the same slip you used on your image or if you don't want a background, you would use clay slip (water mixed with clay body). Then burnish, blow dry until paper is completely dry, dab with wet sponge and peel off the paper.