100% Handmade Work
Made with passion
for people with passion
My ceramic work I believe is simple and elegant, colorful and precise. Both masculine and feminine. The pieces are constructed in a very angular and geometric fashion, yet the finished form is very feminine and soft.
The patterns with which I begin are all of the female S-curve shape. I freehand a quick s on a piece of illustration or mat board and then cut it out to be used as a template.
Art Deco | Mechanical | Clean | Classic Simplicity | Modern
My early background is in industrial art, not fine art. I learned techniques of various mediums through the point of view of trade craft. I studied and learned welding, forging, metal casting, mold making, graphic arts, wood craft, carpentry, printmaking, photography, technical drawing and drafting. I learned the skills, techniques and media of the arts, but from a different point of view and perspective. I think from there I gained the love of craft, and pride in the crafts themselves.
I attended U.A.B. after high school and bounced around from discipline to discipline, major to major but
couldn’t find a place that I felt comfortable or had any passion for. Began taking entry level drawing and
graphic design classes my second or third year in school. Just to satisfy elective requirements at first.
They were the first art classes that I have had since a twice a week after school painting class that I had
in first grade.
These classes did not seem to be work, it was fun, and for the first time in school I was able to be at the top of the class without what seemed to be much effort. I found a passion. I eagerly began taking as many art classes as I could in as many disciplines as were offered. I even found a passion for art history and began consuming it as well.
My parents said to me at the time,” You know, you seem to enjoy and do really well in art, you should consider pursuing it as a career.” Truth is, I already was. Even though I had not the guts to admit it to myself yet. It is Art, there is no money to be made in Art………… Find something you are passionate about and you will never have to work a day in your life.
While attending school, I got a part time job working for Maralyn Wilson Gallery, a very successful and prominent gallery in Birmingham. Moved up to full time rather quickly, I guess I somehow proved my worth. At some point, I asked her if I could bring in my tools and supplies and use some of the extra space at the gallery as personal studio. A place for me to create and pursue my own work, away from my space at school. Maralyn told me sure as long as it is on my own time. And so it began.
These classes did not seem to be work, it was fun, and for the first time in school I was able to be at the top of the class without what seemed to be much effort. I found a passion. I eagerly began taking as many art classes as I could in as many disciplines as were offered. I even found a passion for art history and began consuming it as well.
My parents said to me at the time,” You know, you seem to enjoy and do really well in art, you should consider pursuing it as a career.” Truth is, I already was. Even though I had not the guts to admit it to myself yet. It is Art, there is no money to be made in Art………… Find something you are passionate about and you will never have to work a day in your life.
While attending school, I got a part time job working for Maralyn Wilson Gallery, a very successful and prominent gallery in Birmingham. Moved up to full time rather quickly, I guess I somehow proved my worth. At some point, I asked her if I could bring in my tools and supplies and use some of the extra space at the gallery as personal studio. A place for me to create and pursue my own work, away from my space at school. Maralyn told me sure as long as it is on my own time. And so it began.
I purchased a kiln on a whim. Spent way more than I had or should have spent, but eventually made it
all back and then some. And then some more. And then more and more.
I spent one to two years learning clay through trial and error, mostly error. I applied the techniques and fundamentals that I learned from James Alexander at U.A.B. to developing my own technique and style. In the meantime, I lost interest in school and began to focus on developing and marketing my skills and talents toward working and not learning.
I could continue to pay someone to teach me the skills, or learn the skills necessary through work rather than study. Possibly make a little money while learning through work. I chose the latter. I worked with Maralyn Wilson for close to twenty years, up to her retirement. I have always been a tinkerer so to speak. From childhood loved to take things apart to see how they work. Broken or not, and try to put back together.
My first foray into the arts in college was graphic design. After my second class the professor told me that I didn’t have it in me to be a graphic designer, that I should pursue a different discipline. Although it hurt at the time, he was damn right. That was my last graphic design class. Afterward, I studied photography, drawing then painting, all with some success but without the passion. The two dimensional work has always felt awkward, required work and did not come easy. Eventually I found my way into ceramic sculpture and sculpture. And there it was, the passion.
I spent one to two years learning clay through trial and error, mostly error. I applied the techniques and fundamentals that I learned from James Alexander at U.A.B. to developing my own technique and style. In the meantime, I lost interest in school and began to focus on developing and marketing my skills and talents toward working and not learning.
I could continue to pay someone to teach me the skills, or learn the skills necessary through work rather than study. Possibly make a little money while learning through work. I chose the latter. I worked with Maralyn Wilson for close to twenty years, up to her retirement. I have always been a tinkerer so to speak. From childhood loved to take things apart to see how they work. Broken or not, and try to put back together.
My first foray into the arts in college was graphic design. After my second class the professor told me that I didn’t have it in me to be a graphic designer, that I should pursue a different discipline. Although it hurt at the time, he was damn right. That was my last graphic design class. Afterward, I studied photography, drawing then painting, all with some success but without the passion. The two dimensional work has always felt awkward, required work and did not come easy. Eventually I found my way into ceramic sculpture and sculpture. And there it was, the passion.
With sculpture, I was able to satisfy my inner tinkerer. Learn how materials work, and behave, and what
can be done with them. Was able to apply my industrial arts background. Had the opportunity to
engineer and create.
It is my belief that the visual arts, if done well, requires no explanation. Or either I am apprehensive to write or talk about my work. I would much rather listen to what others have to say about it. The good the bad and the ugly.
Art and the creation thereof, has always been an exploration of the various mediums and crafts to me. It is in that exploration that I find inspiration I don’t know if I neatly fit into the mold or stereotype of what an artist is. I am a simple, joyful country boy at heart. I love college football, fishing, family and friends. I grew up playing sports and spending most of my time outdoors. Often there are times when I am on a fishing trip with people who I do not know when the inevitable what do you do for a living question comes up. When I answer, I’m an artist or sculptor an awkward silence always seems to follow. Conversely, when I am around other artist or artsy people with whom there is no familiarity, if it happens to come up that I am a former high school jock, love me some football, or fishing I inevitably receive the same awkward silence.
It is my belief that the visual arts, if done well, requires no explanation. Or either I am apprehensive to write or talk about my work. I would much rather listen to what others have to say about it. The good the bad and the ugly.
Art and the creation thereof, has always been an exploration of the various mediums and crafts to me. It is in that exploration that I find inspiration I don’t know if I neatly fit into the mold or stereotype of what an artist is. I am a simple, joyful country boy at heart. I love college football, fishing, family and friends. I grew up playing sports and spending most of my time outdoors. Often there are times when I am on a fishing trip with people who I do not know when the inevitable what do you do for a living question comes up. When I answer, I’m an artist or sculptor an awkward silence always seems to follow. Conversely, when I am around other artist or artsy people with whom there is no familiarity, if it happens to come up that I am a former high school jock, love me some football, or fishing I inevitably receive the same awkward silence.
Art that inspires me all seems to come from the renaissance period in Italy and Northern Europe. They
had the utmost respect to the craft in which they worked. Filippo Brunelleschi, Giotto, Donatello, Fra
Filippo Lippi, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Caravaggio, Jan van Eych, Albrecht Durer, Matthias Grunewald, just to
name a few.
I pay close attention to detail, but have had to learn over the years not to become obsessed with the details. It is at times easy for me to become lost in the little things and lose sight of the big picture. In Japanese pottery there is a saying kama-kizu, which roughly translates to kiln-bite. It refers to the idea that in pottery, once a piece goes into the kiln what happens to it is beyond ones control. Often, pieces come out with many flaws and or defects. This has to be expected and accepted as part of the process. In fact, the flaws become prized as being unique to that particular work.
I pay close attention to detail, but have had to learn over the years not to become obsessed with the details. It is at times easy for me to become lost in the little things and lose sight of the big picture. In Japanese pottery there is a saying kama-kizu, which roughly translates to kiln-bite. It refers to the idea that in pottery, once a piece goes into the kiln what happens to it is beyond ones control. Often, pieces come out with many flaws and or defects. This has to be expected and accepted as part of the process. In fact, the flaws become prized as being unique to that particular work.