I have been working with clay for forty-seven years. In the late 1970’s I became known as a pioneer of the resurgence of wood firing in America introducing the anagama kiln into the lexicon of ceramic studio art in the US. Up until the late 1980’s I had been searching for meaning by looking at the past through vessel forms. Using the anagama, I was known for crusty vessels. These works were very well accepted and my work was collected by many major American Museums.

In 1985 I began to learn how to create colossal pottery forms. By 1987 this led to experimentation with primitive industrial forms - cogs, cauldrons, augers, crucibles - combining modernist iconography with vessel- like sculpture. This work talks about social constructs and division of labor.

After working with Anthony Caro in 1989 I broke away from the constraints of the vessel altogether and created sculpture that spoke of mans effect upon nature. I employed deliberate imperfection and tectonic shifting of forces in large abstract clay forms some parts seemingly untreated and others more obviously man-induced. By 2003, through material and technical innovations, I was able to construct and fire massive sculptural works in clay weighing 5000-6000 pounds. This represented a significant technical feat and is an inquiry that persists to this day.

In 2009 I began work on this series of flat tablets. I began the series by separating my forms from the three-dimensionality of my previous work and searching for a way to suggest space and movement using illusion on a plane. I have been developing ceramic materials and techniques aimed at creating these colossal tile forms including innovative forming techniques, material experimentation as well as new systems of firing. The flat clay plane has allowed me greater opportunities to experiment with symbols and drawing.

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