Statement

    For me, the horse has become a personal symbol. It has brought me strength and direction. It has symbolized wealth, power and sensuality in art and literature throughout history. My influences include sources from around the world and throughout the centuries. Among these sources are Japanese Haniwa and Chinese Xian Tomb and T'ang Dynasty ceramic sculpture, the contemporary horse imagery of Deborah Butterfield and Susan Rothenberg, as well as other modern masters such as Marino Marini and Pablo Picasso.
    I start the work by extruding long hollow shapes and throwing closed forms on a wheel. When the clay is nearly leather hard I cut and tear the thrown and extruded parts, reassembling them at this stage to form the legs, haunches, shoulders, belly, neck and head of the horse. I work intuitively with the parts, altering them in a somewhat random manner, allowing the pieces to contribute to the shape and attitude of the animal.
    The piece is built from the ground up, attaching the legs to a base, and adding the other parts until the work is complete. Evidence of the ceramic process, the surface of the extrusions, the finger marks in the wheel thrown parts, the character of the clay when it is torn are all important parts of the piece. I am interested in allowing the evidence of the ceramic processes to be prominent in describing the physical attributes of the animal. My goal is for the viewer to have a sense of how the sculpture evolved as well as the energy involved in the building process.
    Movement and gesture are emphasized through linear elements derived from the intersections of forms within the figure as well as those found in the silhouette.  Form and negative space describe the mass and volume of a piece. The surface is treated with slips, stains, and glazes with concern for allowing the building process to show.

Education
1986    Master of Fine Arts, University of Michigan
1984    Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Michigan
1979    Bachelor of Arts, University of Michigan

Represented By: Alan Avery Art Company

Scholastic Awards
1984      Center for Continuing Education of Women Scholarship
1983      Center for Continuing Education of Women Scholarship
1975-79    Phillip Morris Scholastic Achievement Award
1975-79    Michigan Competitive Scholarship Award    

Awards
1999    Purchase Award, Arts Festival Beth-El, Temple Beth-El, St. Petersburg, FL
Purchase Award, Great Lakes Regional Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
1998    Award of Distinction, Arts Festival Beth-El, St. Petersburg, FL
1997    Best of Show, Our Town Art Exibition, Community House, Birmingham, MI
1996    First Prize, Monarch Tile National Ceramics Competition, Florence, AL
1989    Purchase Award, Works on Paper Competition, Washtenaw Comm. College
1989    New Initiative for the Arts Stipend, Michigan Council for the Arts
1988     Individual Artist Grant, Michigan Council for the Arts
1986    Honorable Mention, Third Annual Steelcase Student Art Exhibition
1984    First Prize, Ceramics, First Annual Steelcase Student Art Competition
    Juror's Merit Award, Michigan Ceramics '84
1983    Best of Show, Ann Arbor Art Association Annual Art Competition
    Alice Kales Hartwick Award, Michigan Ceramics '83

Award Exhibitions
1989    New Initiative for the Arts 1989, Michigan Touring Show
1988    Classical Themes, Contemporary Approaches, Michigan Council for the Arts,   Detroit,MI
Solo Exhibitions
2000    New Work: Ceramic Sculpture and Clay Drawings, Washington Street Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI
1996    Working Momentum, Signature Gallery, Chestnut Hill, MA
1994    New Work, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI
1991    Animals in Art, Stubnitz Gallery, Adrian College, Adrian, MI
1988    New Drawings, Eyemidiae Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI

Selected Juried Exhibitions
2000    Michigan Ceramics '00, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Rochester, MI
1999    Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Nat'l Ceramic Competition, Florence, AL
    Great Lakes Regional Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
    Our Town Art Exhibition, Community House, Birmingham, MI
1998    Michigan Ceramics '98, Center for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI
    Grand Valley State Universtiy, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
    11th Annual Art Competition, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
1997    Monarch Tile National Ceramics Competition, Florence, AL
    Our Town Art Exhibition, Birmingham, AL
1996    Monarch Tile National Ceramics Competition, Juror; Toni Sikes, Kennedy-Douglas         Center for the Arts, Florence, AL
    Michigan Ceramics '96, Juror: Jack Earl, Kreft Center Gallery, Concordia College,  Ann Arbor, MI
    11th Annual San Angelo Museum Ceramics Competition, Juror: Michael W. Monroe,  San Angelo, TX
    Michigan Artists Design for the Home, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI
1995    Michigan Ceramics '95, Juror: Patty Warashina, Habitat-Shaw Gallery, Pontiac, MI
    Tile 95, Jurors: Jim Melchert, Farley Tobin, Betty Woodman, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
    Terra Firma National Ceramics Exhibition, Juror: Juan Granados, Corbin Art Center, Spokane, WA
    Eighth Annual Michigan Art Competition Juror: Ed Paschke, Holland Area Arts  Council, Holland, MI
1993    Eighth Annual San Angelo National Ceramics Competition, Juror: Elaine Levin
    San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX
    Great Lakes Regional Art Exhibition, Juror: Robert Workman, Midland Art Council,  Midland, MI
    Michigan Annual XXI Juror: Mary Denison, The Art Center, Mt. Clemens, MI
    Transforming Visions, Jurors: Mary Denison and Merry Ellen Scully Mosna, Swords        into Plowshares Peace Gallery, Detroit, MI

Award Exhibitions
1989    New Initiative for the Arts, Michigan Touring Show
1988    Classical Themes, Contemporary Approaches, Michigan Council for the Arts, Detroit, MI

Selected Group Invitational Exhibitions
2000    Earthly Treasures, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
    Pewabic Pottery Garden Party Benefit, Community House, Birmingham, MI
    32nd Annual Holiday Invitational, Kornbluth Gallery, Fair Lawn, NJ
    Mansfield Art Center, Holiday Fair, Mansfield, OH
1999    Arts Festival Beth-El, Temple Beth-El, St. Petersburg, FL
    Jeri Hollister, Carl E. Miller, Tom Fuhrman, Kelly Gallery, Ft. Wayne, IN
    Earthly Treasures, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
    Clay!, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
    Pewabic Pottery Garden Party Benefit, Community House, Birmingham, MI
    31st Annual Holiday Invitational, Kornbluth Gallery, Fair Lawn, NJ
    Mansfield Art Center, Holiday Fair, Mansfield, OH
1998    Women Working in Clay, Trinity Gallery, Atlanta, GA
    Objects of Desire, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
    Maple City Festival, Window Art Exhibition, Adrian, MI
    Earthly Treasures, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
    30th Annual Holiday Invitational, Kornbluth Gallery, Fair Lawn, NJ
    Lights, an invitational show, Detroit Artists Market, Detroit, MI
    Arts Festival Beth-El, Temple Beth-El, St. Petersburg, FL
    For the House and Garden, Pewabic Pottery 8th Annual, Dearborn, MI
1997    Ft. Wyane Museum of Art, Ft. Wayne, IN
    The Best in Contemporary Clay, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
    The National Horse Show, Robert Kidd Gallery, Birmingham, MI
    29th Annual Holiday Invitational, Kornbluth Gallery, Fair Lawn, NJ
    Holiday Invitational Show, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
1996    Motivation and Momentum, The Art Center, Mt. Clemens, MI
1995    For the House and Garden, Pewabic Pottery, Fairlane, the Henry Ford Estate,             Dearborn, MI
1995    Holiday Invitational Show, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
    Potters Guild 45th Anniversary Exhibition, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI
    27th Annual Holiday Invitational, Kornbluth Gallery, Fair Lawn, NJ
1994    Earthly Delights II, Michigan Potters Assoc. Invitational, Meadowbrook Hall
    Rochester, MI
    Garden Sculptures, Fernwood Botanic Garden's 2nd Annual Invitational, Niles, MI
    Holiday Invitational Show, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
1993    Man's Best Friends, Invitational Exhibition, Farrell Collection, Washington DC
    Holiday Invitational Show, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
1992    Clay Invitational, West Virginia University, College of Creative Arts,
    Morgantown, WV
    Pewabic Pottery's Annual Benefit Show, Detroit, MI

Conferences
2000    National Council for the Education of Ceramic Arts, Denver, CO
    Session: So you want to know how to form and run a cooperative studio?

Collections
Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
Monarch Tile Corporation, Florence, AL
Ford Motor Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Steelcase Corporation, Southfield, MI
Washtenaw Community College Art Collection, Ann Arbor, MI
Marriot Corporation, Society Center, Cleveland, OH

Publications
Guild.com, Beautiful Things, The Guild Press, 2000
Sikes, Toni Fountain, Best of New Ceramics, Madison: The Guild Press, 1997
Pipenburg, Robert, Spirit of Clay, Farmington Hills: Pebble Press, 1996
Clay Art 2000 calendar: Pebble Press, 1999, August
Ceramics Art and Perception, Issue 28, 1997
American Craft, October/November 1991, pg. 52 August/September 1990, pg. 72
Ceramics Monthly, May 1991, pg. 26-28

Professional Experience
Instructor    Oakland Community College, Farmington Hills Campus, 2000
Potters Guild, Ann Arbor, MI, 1988-present
        Eastern Mich. University, Ceramics Department, 1986-1989
        Ann Arbor Art Association, 1987
        University of Michigan, School of Art, Ceramics Department, 1985
Workshops    Michigan Mud '94, Oakland Community College, Auburn Hills, 1994
        Oakland Community College, Farmington, MI, 1991
        Adrian College, Ceramics Dept., Adrian, MI, 1991
        Eastern Michigan University, Ceramics Dept., Ypsilanti, MI, 1990
        University of Michigan, School of Art, Ann Arbor, MI, 1989
Juror        Franklin Art Festival, 2000
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Ceramics, 1990, 91
Professional Associations
Potters Guild, National Conference on Education of Ceramic Arts
Michigan Potters Association, Detroit Artists Market, Ann Arbor Art Center