For hundreds of years indigenous people of North America have been experimenting with clay, utilizing its substance, for beauty and function. Coming from such a background I have been combining the ideals of passion, apprenticeship and patience in creating hand built, hand painted decorative ceramics. All my pottery pieces are hand built or hand coiled. This is a process of creating ceramic forms without the use of a conventional potter's wheel. The surface designs and patterns on my pieces are hand painted, free hand using no stencils or rulers.
Being of Native American descent, from New Mexico I have been creating works of art that incorporate traditional methods from previous generations while maintaining a contemporary vision. My current body of work has seen the implementation of using metal and wood materials within the established ceramic foundation. The narrative of combining such materials is establishing a balance between nature Mother Earth and industrialization.
As an award winning ceramic artist, residing in the city of Fullerton, CA I have been actively promoting and exhibiting works of art within the southern California area and abroad. Working in various mediums such as pen, ink and acrylics has allowed me to stretch the boundaries well outside the ceramics field, allowing me to be a mult-disciplinary artist.
Combining my experience and years as a practicing artist has attributed to opportunities as a part time ceramics instructor. With established teaching endeavors at The Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, Ca and The Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, CA. I have also established programs with the National Park Service and the Los Angeles County Public Library Service. These teaching endeavors, workshops and presentations has given me the rich and rewarding experience of sharing and instructing students in an art form that has cultural links with my Native American heritage and ancestry.
