Sky Vault

Since moving to Montana, I always look up. This big open space, this big sky, this vibrant skyline – look up! I dream right there, in the large, open, optimistic, and ever changing sky. Sometime ago, I traveled to Rome and Istanbul; walking through the old cathedrals and mosques, I was struck by the same feeling I have in Montana – look up! Vibrant ceilings and spaces, a space to expand into. This is the inspiration for this exhibition.

I always wonder, how am I nourished by where I live? I find utilitarian pottery the best method to express my ideas. Handmade pottery is naturally rich in ideas and metaphor; pottery seeps into our houses, our kitchens, and enrichs our lives.

This exhibition is a non-traditional display for utilitarian pottery. I am not trying to undermine the useful nature of the dishes. I trust that when the public sees a cup, they understand that they can drink from it, and that its intent and purpose is to quench thirst. A public exhibition is a very quick moment in the life of a cup or a plate. The pottery goes from the privacy of my own studio and my creative process to someone's house, and the intimacy of being used for dinner. I love the flash moment of exchange, when a cup changes from being "mine", to being "yours" and this exhibition celebrates this moment of display. These are utilitarian plates and cups; the display helps us understand the ideas in the work.