So ... who am I anyway ?

Well ... one has to ask where does one start "About Me" ...To make it short I'll skip years and years of my life before pottery. Suffice to say I was an executive in one of those large, international corporations. After spending 30(ish) years working I decided to retire and move to the country (a life long dream). Having settled into Eugene, Oregon and spent a number of years getting our property in shape, I realized that for once I had some free time and this was an opportunity to explore. Having always admired (verging on jealousy) people who could make things with their hands and believing somewhere deep inside me was an artist waiting to emerge, I started to look for some artistic endeavors...

After some fits-and-starts I took a wheel throwing class at Club Mud Ceramics a clay-art cooperative here in Eugene, Oregon. I was immediately taken by the wonderful blending of the technical (my engineering background) and the artistic. After eight Wednesday classes I was hooked ...

A good friend of mine - Cindi Bruck - had a studio and offered me the key and unlimited use of the space, which I took advantage of for almost six months. An old friend from Burley Design Cooperative - Huff Jones - had been a production potter for many-many years and took an interest in my development. While at Cindi's he would spend Monday nights (often over a glass of red wine and some great food) showing me his throwing techniques and reminding me to practice-practice-practice (which I really had a hard time doing since all I wanted to do was to make things - and not hundreds of cylinders). During this time I would often drop into Club Mud and bug them about getting into the studio as a member. Well the old "squeaky wheel gets the oil" thing worked and soon I was a member of a fantastic studio space shared by ~32 ceramics artists. This was truly a place for me to grow. The studio was wonderfully equipped with glaze rooms, three electric kilns, two gas kilns and lots of opinions. I learned glazes, firing the gas kiln, wiggling through stacks of ware, cleaning the slip barrel, and getting along with lots of temperamental individuals, etc. ... etc. ... etc. ...

It was here I met the other potters (Don - Tea - May - Bob - Beth) with whom I built the twin-arch noborigama wood fired kiln (highlighted on this webpage) ... where will it end !

In the ensuing years I have taken classes at the University of Oregon Craft Center and Lane Community College, and attended numerous workshops in an effort to develop my skills and improve the aesthetics of my craft. As my business name implies, I focus my work primarily on functional ware for the home.