Artist Statement
While in college completing
my BFA, I fell in love with clay. My mother sent me a picture of an old Aztec clay lizard and I began putting lizards
on everything I made. I loved the fact that when people looked at my work they would smile, laugh and couldn't help
but pick up the piece.
When I work in
my studio, I study all the lizards that visit me. Because of the heat from the kilns, I almost have more "models"
than I need. I look at one of my visitors and study their pose, a turn of the head or a silly jump and landing
until I get an idea for my next pot.
It has
been 18 years since I started making lizard pottery and I still get excited when I look into my booth at an art festival and
see all the smiles on my customers faces. The highlight of every show is when a past customer tells me how much joy
they have gotten from their purchase the year before. It makes me anxious to get back to my studio and then I have to
smile too.
Pottery Techniques
The technique I use to make the garden pots is slab and coil work. I wedge five different colors
of clay together and put them in my extruder to get the wood grain look in the strips. I form the straps in to the size
garden pot I need and then roll a coil of clay to the shape of the lizard. When I am attaching the lizard to the pot
is when I give the lizard it's unique personality. A head turn here and a curve in the tail there and the pot is
ready to dry. After it is dry, it goes through a bisque firing at 1911º F . Next is the glazing where
I choose the colors for the lizard. I choose bright and shiny colors to contrast with the natural feel of the mixed
clay planter. The final firing is at 2127º F and it is finished.
I use more techniques including slab,wheel and coil building to make the lidded jar series.
The main body is slab work. The lizard and some lid decorations are coil work and then I throw the lid on the wheel.
When I glaze the piece I combine the look of the natural state of the fired clay with layered glazes to achieve a unique pattern
on each pot. The finishing touches of stones, bamboo, or reeds are added to bring the whole piece back to nature.
It is the goal of my work to blend in with and reflect
nature but also to add a little bit of humor in the personality of the lizards.
