are all of your pieces one-of-a-kind?

these days i pretty much make one-of-a-kind objects. relief tiles may be made in multiples, and i've made a limited series of my ho tai tiles, but making the same thing over and over bores me, so i avoid it.

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what are some of your favorite techniques?

for my tiles, i like using the modern version of cuerda seca. in ancient times a cord soaked in a greasy manganese substance was laid on the surface of the tile to make the design.  glaze was then poured between the cords, which kept the glazes from mixing.  the cord then burned out during firing and left a black line between the glazed areas.  these days the modern equivalent is to paint the design on a bisqued tile with black wax resist.  the wax keeps the glazes from mixing together, and when it burns out during firing it leaves a black line. voia la!

i also enjoy bas relief carving and coiling for vessels.

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do you make your own glazes?

yes.  exept for red, which is almost impossible to create from hand-made glazes.  at least a red that i like.  i'm getting the most interesting results from layering glazes.

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is your work earthenware or stoneware?

stoneware. cone 6 oxidation fired in my nifty L&L EasyFire e23T-3 kilns.

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are the vessels food safe?

i do not use lead in any of my glaze formulas; however, my glazes have not been tested for use with food, so if you're getting creative and want to serve soup out of one of my flower vases, I wouldn't recommend it.

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is it ok to leave the artwork outside?

all of my work is fired to Cone 6, so the ceramic work itself should be able to withstand all but the most extreme weather conditions. frames, however, are another matter, and should be removed from any piece you plan to display outside.

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do you accept commissions?

no.

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can I see any of your work in galleries?

selected work is available through clouds gallery, woodstock, ny.  to see pics of these works click here.

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what are your influences?

i've recently been contemplating the work of mid-century artist nahum tschacbasov, an abstract surrealist working in nyc and woodstock during the 20th century.  he believed a painting should reflect the psychological rather than the physical.

i also love arts & craft design, and am heavily influenced by whatever music i'm listening to at any given moment.

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