ABOUT

Art has been my passion since I was a very small child. The moment ballerina was no longer a viable option, I knew I would be an artist when I grew up. Knitting, photography, drawing, painting, graphic design, woodworking, jewelry-making… I have found enjoyment and expression in all of these areas throughout my life, but clay has held my heart from the moment I pinched my first pot at age 16. The limitless possibilities inherent to my craft are fascinating and exhilarating to me. Humans have been working with clay for tens of thousands of years, yet no two handmade pots in all of history can ever be identical.

I studied ceramics in high school and undergrad, but was initially persuaded by the demands of capitalism and student loans to pursue more corporate forms of art to make my living. I took my sparkly new art and Spanish degrees to Costa Rica for a year to volunteer as the graphic designer for a small nonprofit, and from there somehow landed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to work as an in-house designer for a religiously affiliated international nonprofit. As is typical with nonprofit jobs, I burnt out after just a couple years from the extreme workload, as well as the fact that they had (and have to this day) a discriminatory hiring policy against queer and non-Christian folks. I was ultimately forced to resign in protest after leadership refused to reckon with their oppressive practices.

I got a job as a barista, started a clay residency at Lancaster Clay Studios, and began exploring ways to speak through clay again. I spent two more years in Lancaster, struggling to balance part-time jobs with time to make and sell my art. Pandemic chaos necessitated a return to my roots in Goshen, Indiana, where I apprenticed with Mark Goertzen in his production studio. In early 2022, I was finally able to open my very own studio and begin working for myself full time. My pottery aims to reimagine everyday objects into true works of art that would complement any home. I want them to feel good in the hand, sing at the scrape of a spoon along the bottom, chime pleasantly against the table between sips, and reveal the next small chapter of my story. 

If you read all that and still want to know more, check out my full portfolio!