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've recently begun incorporating laser print transfers into my work; laser printers use iron oxide in their inks, these inks can be transferred to fired ceramics using water-slide decal paper and re-fired to become a permanent part of the ceramic surface.

in the last few months i've started learning how to use overglazes, which melt at a much lower temp than the original glaze surface (around 800C) and give rise to a whole new world of decorative possibilities.  waaaaay coool.

i also enjoy bas relief carving and coiling for vessels.

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do you make your own glazes?

for the most part yes, but i'll use commercial products if they produce the desired effect.  red glazes, however, are mostly an exception as i find it almost impossible to create an acceptable red from hand-made glazes. 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. if you are a ceramist i strongly recommend l&l.  fantastic product.

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are the vessels food safe?

my work is exclusively decorative in nature; glazes have not been tested for food safety, and should not be used for this purpose.

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is it ok to leave the artwork outside?

all of my work is cone six clay fired to Cone 6, so the ceramic work itself is vitrified and 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,

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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.

in the summer of 2008 mr. b and i toured the gilbert & george retrospective at the brooklyn museum of art; i was particularly struck by their idea of including as much of "yourself" (whatever that is) in the art; of making the art as accessible as possible; this is becoming a stream of thought that is occurring with alarming frequency in my new work.

a significant influence on my life and work is the teachings of eckhart tolle; particularly the ideas of disassociation from your mind and living in the now. in my way of thinking, e.t.'s teaching is a restatement and clarification of tao and buddhist principles, without all the ancillary gobbledy gook.  check it out; it changed my life, seriously.

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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