In my early years as a painter/printmaker I was enthralled with low relief, contrasting surfaces, and layers of cutting, scratching, carving, and color. As I began my work with clay in 2001, these characteristics were combined with my love of tile and mosaics. The Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown, Pennsylvania provided inspiration and workshops as I found my own “language”.

As an elementary school art teacher I have watched students combine, poke, cut, and pull clay and color in ways only the innocent can. This has challenged me to drop rules and formats and explore. I begin a piece with a simple drawing, often an image from my garden or my home. Once translated into elements it is transferred onto clay slabs. I freely carve, cut, stamp, and press clay into shapes and glaze, underglaze, overglaze, wipe, and sand glazes at will.

Each time I roll out clay, my response is immediate and leads to endless possibilities. If everything is going well, it feels fluid and intuitive. Although I may use the same image several times, no two mosaics are ever exactly the same. I work with clay and glazes as a painter works with canvas and paint. Each mosaic is a unique experience and art piece.