I have always been drawn to the patterns, forms, and relationships of the natural world. As a child, I was fascinated by nature’s complexities. The segmented armor of the crawdads found in our neighborhood creek and the feathery seeds of the cottonwood drifting in the Oklahoma summer breezes served as some of my earliest inspirations. I am still captivated by the extreme lengths to which organisms go in order to survive, thrive, and reproduce. I am compelled to explore elements of nature that go largely unnoticed by most. Seedpods, algae cells, and pollen grains are organic forms that speak of a universal and innate determination to survive. Their bodies and textures remind us that what is fragile can also be willful and strong. Because it is such a tactile medium, clay allows me to express my attraction to these objects and to further explore the relationship between beauty and hardship.
