Background/Bio
My path to ceramics began in the hills and rivers of Pittsburgh, where mysterious steel mills and industrial landscapes first impressed themselves upon my young mind and heart. At seventeen, I moved to New York City to study at The Cooper Union, earning my Bachelor of Architecture in 1994. While immersed in architectural studies, I took full advantage of Cooper's interdisciplinary environment, exploring drawing, photography, and film-making in the art school, and pursuing my passion for movement through ballet classes at NYU, the Alvin Ailey School, and Erick Hawkins studio.
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My introduction to ceramics came unexpectedly in my first job after graduation, working for designer Stephen Doyle at Drenttel Doyle Partners. One day, Stephen placed a rubber bowl for plaster, and ceramic slip on my desk with the directive to recreate the bowl in ceramics. This moment sparked an exploration that continues to this day.
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Rather than pursuing traditional architectural practice, I chose a broader path that engaged my diverse interests and skills. Since 1995, I have worked as an exhibition designer, collaborating with renowned design firms including Pentagram, Chermayeff & Geismar, and C&G Partners, and serving on staff at the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Historical Society. This work at the scale of interior and furniture has allowed me to continue designing spatial experiences while continuing to develop the hand-skills that now inform my ceramic practice.
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My ceramic education deepened during a transformative year as a visiting student at école Duperré in Paris (2005-06), where I studied in the “artisanal ceramics” studio. I have always approached ceramics seriously, viewing it as a continuous exploration rather than a separate pursuit from my other creative work.
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My aesthetic vocabulary draws from firsthand encounters with architecture—from studying Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House as a student to experiencing the breathtaking details of Fallingwater and the spatial joy of the Guggenheim. Travel has enriched this foundation: the baths and churches of Rome, French cathedrals, Istanbul's mosques, and the massing and sculpture of Indian temples have all informed my understanding of form and space.
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In ceramics, I find inspiration in the hand-painting of Vietnamese work, Chinese celadons, and the surprising sublimity of Japanese pieces. The early paintings of Willem de Kooning and the work of Giacometti continue to influence my approach to form and gesture.
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Only eighteen months ago did I decide to focus intensively on ceramics as a means of synthesizing the influences, experiences, and inspirations I have been fortunate to encounter. Working from my studio in Manhattan's West 20s, I continue my exhibition design practice while developing ceramic works that marry my architectural training with the ancient art of clay—creating functional sculptures that carry forward the energy and thoughtfulness of a life spent observing and making.
