I am a native Oregonian, who came a bit late in life to ceramics. After 24 years as a professional wilderness whitewater raft guide and instructor, I found myself pregnant and facing a profound life change. A few college ceramics classes lit a smoldering artistic spark that came to life 20 years later, when I temporarily traded in my oars for a clay studio.

Six years in, my art leans heavily towards sgraffito functional ware---a process of scratching out images from dark underglaze to reveal the white clay bodies I prefer. I am really drawn to the stark contrast of black and white imaging combined with richly colored layered glazes.

My husband and I share a lovely home with our amazing daughter, 2 heelers, 2 cats, 6 fish, 2 ducks and gaggle of chickens. Much of my inspiration is found in the interplay of such a family, my little creatures coming to life, displaying a little humor, a bit of irreverence and most of all, awe for the little delights we find in our lives.