My love of pottery goes back through my families roots.  Growing up outside of Seagrove North Carolina; the pottery Mecca of the US brought out a desire that went back to my great grandfather.  When he was a young man, he hauled pottery up and down Plank Road, from Asheville NC to Wilmington NC.  I have a great deal of respect for the Pottery tradition; I’m guilty of getting lost in the clay.  It is such a wonderful feeling to just take a lump of clay, out of the ground, and process and make something enjoyable, and yet very functional.

            It was after I left the US Air Force in 1991 that I was finally able to pursue my desire to throw pots.  Taking classes at Randolph and Montgomery Counties Community Colleges, under the tutelage of Mike Durham and Mike Ferree, I began my path of where I am today.  I remember a comment made to me by Mike Durham that you have to develop your own style and niche. With that mindset, I developed my love for hand-building.

            It was not until after the death of my father and encouragement from my loving husband that I began developing the work that I do today.  My father was known for his wooden birdhouses within Randolph County. Unfortunately cancer took him away before he could fully enjoy his retirement.  I made a comment one day following his death to my husband that I wanted to do a special piece for the Annual HOSPICE Auction in memory of dad.  Each year world renowned potter’s of Seagrove donate pieces for this worthy cause.  Brian, my husband said that he knew what I was going to do.  It was a pottery 8 section two story birdhouse on the basis of my father’s original design.  With his help and encouragement we created the first piece.  To my surprise the massive piece of pottery came out with out a flaw and with the exception of one other piece brought the highest amount of money in the auction.  I knew there had to be a higher power involved in that piece since the next 6 we attempted failed to make it through the drying phase.