Animals have always charmed and fascinated me. I like to watch them, and draw them. Clay seems to me a natural medium for capturing their different moods and gestures. I like the feel of clay in my hands, growing into a creature and taking a pose for me. The small Raku pigs and rabbits have supported my studio over a number of years, gradually becoming more like little people. The other animals resist that. In the horses and cats and dogs (or donkeys, cows, goats, sheep, or chickens, all animals I grew up with) I look for a more typical animal pose and attitude. I still want them all to read as clay animals, reflecting the qualities of that medium. I enjoy the effects of Raku firing, which I have worked with since I took a clay class with Paul Soldner at Scripps College in the 60’s.

In a Raku firing, I take the glazed animals out of a red hot kiln with tongs and then smoke them in a covered pan of sawdust. A clear glaze shows the color of the clay, and often crackles. The unglazed areas and crackle are black or grey. Colors are stable.

Pieces similar to these works are often available at the following galleries.
(See “Links” for websites.)

American Museum of Ceramic Art
346 Garey Ave,
Pomona, CA 91706
909-865-3146

Artifact Gallery
775 Main Street
Cambria, CA 93428
805-927-7335

Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts
856 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd.
Ojai, CA 93428
805-927-7335

Henry W. Myrtle Gallery
915 W 23rd St.
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
310-266-0168

Young’s Gallery
2920 Grand Avenue
Los Olivos, CA 93441
805-688-9745