I like trees.  I even studied forestry and worked as a professional forester for many years.  But when my job became unsatisfying, I left it in 2005.  Now my main employment is as a casual hire wildland firefighter, both on the fireline as a supervisor and in camp as an Information Officer.  This can keep me on the road (as far as Florida) from spring to fall.  It also pays the bills.

I had taken evening pottery classes at Lower Columbia College off and on for several years.  These were my first art classes since 8th grade.  Working with clay was fun, and challenging.

With the seasonal work of firefighting, I had time to set up a small pottery studio in my home.  Dancing Tree Pottery was officially started in 2007.

When the fires are quiet and the weather is too bad for me to “play” in the yard, I head for my studio and dig into the clay.  I mostly do high-fired functional work in porcelain, using food-safe glazes.  Microwavable, dishwasher-safe, and even able to go in the oven, I expect my pots to be used.  That’s not to say I don’t want my pots to look pretty. 

Trees are my specialty (and about the only thing I can draw well).  Each tree is individually drawn, and sometimes they decide to grow in ways I didn’t expect.  My pots are never identical in size and shape, but they look related, like the trees. 

I also have fun playing with the colorful glazes, especially the tricky copper red. (If it isn’t reduction fired correctly, it comes out clear to pale green!)  I like to layer and mix the glazes to see what happens.  Now I’m experimenting with landscapes including trees.

Sometimes I switch to horsehair raku, an ornamental style of pottery.  These pots are burnished, not glazed, and are not water-tight or food-safe.  They’re too pretty not to make some.  I’m also playing with aluminum foil saggar firings, another strictly ornamental method.

With all of the possibilities that clay offers, I can continue to explore and experiment for many years to come.

I’m also a member of Oregon Potters Association and Washington Clay Arts Association.  I’ve been involved with Ceramic Showcase in Portland, OR since 2009 and will be in ARTrails of Southwest Washington in September, 2011.  Gallery 21 in Vancouver, WA displayed my pottery before it closed in 2009.  I’ve been a guest artist at Lord and McCord’s Art Works and will be a guest artist at The Broadway Gallery in September, 2011.  Both are in downtown Longview, WA.