I was born In Wisconsin and was an artist from a young age. As a sophomore in high school, a painting of mine won me a scholarship from a local women’s club to a Summer Art Camp at the University of Wisconsin: Green Bay. The idea of spending part of the summer indoors painting in a studio sounded awful to me, so I chose the ceramics course, as wheel throwing always looked like magic. When I went back to high school, I hit the clay studio with a vengeance, and low and behold, wheel throwing clicked. I proceeded to spend every free moment and class period in that classroom, earning extra credits along the way which enabled me to skip my senior year and go to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a year early. There, I double majored in art (Clay) and dance. The instructors I had there, namely Rich Lipscher, Don Reitz, and Paula Rice, were major influences on my ceramics work.
I continued my art education at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, learning primitive firing techniques (Native Pueblo blackware firing, mostly) under the guidance of professor Kurt Wild. I received my BFA from River Falls In Studio Arts (major in Clay, minor in Fibers), with a double minor in Equine Science and Dance.
On December 2016 I joined Valley Arts, as a clay instructor, I now teach four classes a week. Along with Midfire Stoneware, my classes have explore Raku firing techniques, wood firing, pit firing, and hopefully in the future will explore primitive firing techniques and working with some of the region’s native (wild, local) clays.
Why clay:
Why I love to teach it:
It’s magic. You take what is essentially mud, minerals, and sand, and turn it into objects of great purpose and beauty through the application of effort, time, fire, and knowledge. I rejoice in every student’s “Rock star Piece” that comes out of the glaze kiln, knowing how delighted they will be with the results. And I, as an instructor, learn from all of my students. Students keep you fresh. They keep you interested, learning, searching, and growing.