I discovered clay at the age of 18. I learned on a kick-wheel at Sacramento City College in Sacramento, CA under the tutelage of Dr. Beverly Pears. In those days functional work was the gold standard. Hands on clay has been a touchstone for me ever since. Throughout my careers in both commercial and fine art, clay was the one medium I could return to when I needed to restore my focus and sense of self.

After graduating from the Academy of Art College (now, University), I went into the double career of illustration and fine art painting. Like the trick rider who rides two horses roman style, I continued in this way for 15 productive years. During that time my paintings were mainly landscapes., but a need for a more intimate expression led me to figurative works.

In 2000 I moved from the rolling hills of Sonoma County to Oakland, CA and the shift to such an urban setting affected me more deeply than I could have predicted. I felt off balance and unable to paint. Once again, I returned to clay to get my bearings. This time it turned out to be a career change for me. The pots I threw soon sprouted sculptural elements and it wasn't long before I made the shift to pure sculpture. What had been the figurative subject of my paintings now became the subject of my sculpture. Over the next year or two I learned the skills I needed for my change of medium. I was fortunate to find excellent instructors at this juncture who helped me build on my knowledge of the human form and adapt it to clay. I work with hand rolled slabs because I like the immediacy of what happens when clay is pushed, folded and torn. It keeps my work fresh and it also keeps me humble because at any time the piece could collapse.