Men and women have been making bowls and jugs for their food, toys for their children, and objects for funerals and religious ceremonies since before recorded time. Their works are an inspiration to me, and some days I can almost feel the presence of these predecessors as a ball of clay spins in my hands.

My pots are made on a kick wheel. Once I sit down and begin kicking with my right foot, the wheel becomes and extension of myself. I like the quietness of it, and the focus it imposes upon me. My work is functional, primarily stoneware, with a little earthenware now and then. Like the ancient Chinese, and our colonial settlers, I slip glaze my pots when they are leather hard (not quite dry). This saves on fuel consumption and makes a tight bond between the clay and the glaze. Often, I don’t glaze the pots at all, or glaze only the interior, letting the clay speak for itself, contrasting its earthy texture with the glassiness of the glaze.

When the pots are totally dry, I stack them in a downdraft gas kiln which I built near my studio. Usually, I light the kiln around six at night and “candle” it (burn it very low) until around midnight. Then I gradually increase the gas and the heat. By late afternoon or evening the next day, the kiln has reached 2300 F, and I shut it down. In a day or two, when the kiln has cooled, the pots are ready for use: for the table, the garden, and the kitchen.