Tell us a little about yourself, where you live, what kind of work you do.
I live in the Central Valley for about seven years. I am 61 years old and I’m into fitness and cooking as well as pottery and succulents. I am a full-time potter now as of Covid. My day job never came back after the shutdowns.
When did you start working with ceramics?
My first pot was made in 2008 using a Slump method over a washtub. I wanted to take a succulent to a cactus and succulent show and I didn’t like any of the pots that were available so I went on YouTube and figured out how to make a simple pot. I then got the bug for ceramics And tried many methods to figure out my style. I began selling at shows 2013 and it was pretty much a hobby as I made most pots for myself.
What inspires your work, and how is that reflected on your pieces?
I get inspired by many things. Nature, road cuts and the plants themselves, I like the old techniques from Japan, Korea, and China. A lot of my ideas come from their techniques.
Since you are also a cactus and succulent collector, what are some of your favorite plants to grow?
My favorite succulents are caudiciforms. Doesn’t matter the species I like them all And they comprise roughly half of my collection. Cyphostemma, Pachypodium and euphorbia Make up the bulk of my plants.
What's in the near future for your and your work?
Five years? Well, hopefully I can sustain the business I have now with c&s pottery. I have ventured out into other areas of ceramics like sculptures and functional pieces. I like to take techniques. I’ve developed to make plant pots and create mugs and bowls. So maybe that’s in my future, who knows
