A Little Peek
Behind the Scenes
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Capturing Texture
Each texture mold is cast in plaster from a variety of textiles/materials. Once the plaster has set, slabs of clay are rolled onto the surface to transfer the texture.
While any material can be used, I prefer to use fabrics that hold a memory, such as my grandmother's quilt or crocheted blanket.
Creating a Template
I develop templates that guide the form of each piece. Shapes are drawn, adjusted, and refined through repetition - often referencing familiar, domestic silhouettes. These templates act as both structure and starting point, allowing the work to remain consistent while still leaving room for subtle variation as the clay is handled.
Building the Form
Using the templates as a guide, slabs are cut, shaped, and assembled by hand. Each piece is carefully constructed, allowing the clay to move and settle in ways that feel both controlled and responsive. Seams are joined and edges are softened. The form begins to take on a quiet presence - holding the memory of it's making while establishing its structure and function.
Adding the Details
This is where the work becomes more magical. Small, intentional marks are added - stitched impressions, subtle textures, and decorative elements that echo the language of sewing, quilting, and adornment. These details invite you in for a closer look. They are not just details, but a way of embedding intimacy into the surface, allowing each piece to carry a sense of history and quiet connection.
Firing the Work
Once fully dried, each piece is loaded into an electric kiln to be bisque fired. They are then unloaded, glazed, and reloaded into a soda kiln to be fired to 2,350 degrees. During the firing, soda ash is introduced, vaporizing and moving through the chamber of the kiln to interact with the clay's surface. This atmospheric process leaves subtle variations - soft flashes, texture shifts, and a quiet unpredictability that cannot be fully controlled. Each firing becomes a collaboration between material, flame, and timing, allowing the surfaces to carry both intention and chance.
Decorating
Decals, luster, and other subtle additions are applied with intention, echoing traditions of adornment and domestic embellishment. These elements settle into the textures rather than sit on top of them, highlighting small moments and drawing attention to what might otherwise go unnoticed. Like a stitched edge or a patterned fabric, decoration brings warmth and familiarity, leaving each piece with a quiet sense of nostalgia.
