Inspiration

Story and People

Justin Lambert, his side kick May Wong, and me building his anagama kiln in Colorado 2020

The Train Gang: Bruce Kitts, Nicolle Hamm, Matt O’Reilly, Rio Weber, Joe Godfrey, and me.

Bruce Kitts has good taste!

Serendipitously, in 2005, I walked into Ryan Mitchell’s MFA thesis show at the University of Montana, and was spellbound. I was looking at a dozen large abstract sculptures that looked like they had been dipped into volcanic lava. I tracked down Ryan hanging around the Clay Studio of Missoula, and asked him what I had to do to create something resembling those wood fired avant-garde sculptures. Within a few conversations, we agreed to build a train kiln, that to this day, is still fired with wood from the forest that surrounds my home here in Missoula. Ryan has thrived as an artist, and is currently Program Development Director at Jingdezhen Taoxichuan International Studio in China.

My wood firing “education” continued with Clay Studio residents, workshop participants, and masters of the craft. Folks including Perry Hass and Scott McClellan gave me hints about functional pottery. However, my respect for the sculptural form, moving clay upward and outward against gravity, required experimenting with the physical qualities of clay. This earthy substance likes to lean, crack, and fall over, but with time, I came to appreciate the possibilities.

I was motivated to create something new and unique.

It’s like my love for jazz music. There’s classic jazz, and contemporary jazz. Just when I think that it has already been played before, I would hear a new riff on a composition, and I knew I could create a new sculpture. My work for 10 years had been inspired by artists who had preceded me, including Don Reitz, Stephen De Staebler, and Al Tenant.

The Muse was poking me. I needed to step it up. In a new direction.

I had met Justin Lambert at conferences, and was struck by his masterful work. In 2020, I visited Justin in Colorado for a kiln-and-all-things-ceramics workshop. Justin is an expert on kiln design and fabrication. He showed me how I could tie a small wood/gas/soda hybrid kiln into the chimney of my train kiln. With his consultation and guidance, I built his “favorite” catenary arched kiln that I can now fire year round.

Ryan Mitchell and me at his gallery opening at NCECA in Portland, 2017

So I took a deeper dive into the world of clay, heat, oxides, salt and feldspars. Working with surface colors from new applications of these materials. Experimenting with new forms, that I could identify with. Like the jazzman who instills a standard with a new horn solo… I wanted to imbue 3-D objects, vaguely familiar to me, with a new essence (presence).

As I reached deeper for inspiration, I found myself thinking about my identity as a seeker, an explorer, looking for way-markers… cairns, beacons, totems… and with an epiphany, I imagined the work I want to make.

My “peeps” list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Missoula potter, Bruce Kitts. Bruce sets the bar high, when it comes to craft beer, cordage of wood stoked, and the best work ethic to come my way in two decades.

I want to acknowledge all my colleagues and heroes for their support, mentorship and friendship. Thank you for leading me down this artful path.