Forming clay into magical art or functional pottery has been my pleasure for over 20 years.
Having a career in Real Estate for years, I wanted and needed a hobby. Just two semesters of Ceramics,
at McLennan County Community College in Waco, I made a decision to learn more about this fascinating
medium.  Armed with pottery magazines 2002, I attended courses across the USA with some of the most
renowned masters in their field.

First up, 2003 The Redford Center in Sundance, Utah. Established by the Redford family to maintain the
balance of art, nature and community. Honing my skill for wheel throwing, the week went by quickly.
Comradery with other students in this beautiful mountain setting made the class work and practice an
inspiring adventure.

Back in Temple, TX 2005 I participated in a few classes with Randy Brodnax, the Raku King. Randy is
published and is sought after in pottery exhibits across the states and internationally. His stories, quick
wit and abilities to toss a leather hard vessel into a corner and have it land exactly as he wanted was
astounding. Though interesting and exciting Raku is too close to the fire for my desires.

Next was a two-week course at Homestead Heritage, outside of Waco. The Plow Shares program was
taught by 3 talented artisans. The principles were specific for functional pieces that are sold in their
stores on site. This was a disciplined class that taught the hand placement, proper sitting at the wheel to
the final wood firing.

Another two-week course at Arrowmont School of the Arts in Gatlinburg, TN was an on-campus,
immersive program in 2009.  With unlimited clay tools and studio time Master Potter, Bill Van Gilder
shared tips, tricks and short cuts to achieve the perfect bowl, plate or platter. Tucked at the foot of the
Great Smokey Mountains, this was a very satisfying holistic retreat.

I began leaning towards porcelain as my clay base and signed up for a week at ldyllwild Arts Campus in
the towering alpine forest of California' San Jacinto Mountains. Kate McDowell was the most interesting
master potter. Using porcelain due to the luminous and ghostly appearance, she sculpts fragile, natural
forms in a dying ecosystem. She would hand build a creature; bird, rabbit, fox then hollows out the main
body like a taxidermist. This makes the sculpture lighter and easier to fire.

Another master artist in porcelain was Jennifer McCurdy. A class in Steidel Fine Arts, Palm Beach, FL
Taught me the fragility of her carved and altered forms. She uses translucent porcelain to produce
wheel thrown vessels that go through a variety of hand manipulations that almost defy gravity. Her
porcelain pieces have been in private collections, museums and graced the covers of distinguished
publications.

In 2017 I was able to give back some of what I had learned by teaching pottery classes at MCC in Waco
where it all began in 2002. Unfortunately, the building on campus was scheduled for demolition and
closed in 2019.

I continue to develop my skills in pottery, mostly porcelain. My friends and I like to drink wine so I have
created a line of wine goblets. My commissions include sets of wine goblets with chillers for weddings,
vessel sinks and sculptures. My studio was built along a winding creek by the famous Mammoth Site in
Waco, TX. So Mammoth Creek Pottery is where I work/play among the quiet oak trees and wild life.