I create ceramic pieces so that I can bring my ideas to life in 3-D. It's amazing to follow the journey of my ceramic pieces from an idea in my head all the way until it comes out of its last firing in the kiln. Clay is unpredictable. The ideas in my head are never perfectly replicated. I never know how the kiln will warp my projects so each and every firing brings out both fear and excitement.  The uncertainties of clay and how you adapt to its changes is what makes ceramic construction so fun. My ultimate goal of any ceramic piece is for it to be aesthetically pleasing to look at, or hold; to grab a viewer's attention because of the glaze colors, or the texture, or the shape.

     Throughout the process of creating my pieces, challenges are constantly arising. My first instinct is always to do whatever I can to make the piece look good. I will change my original idea for a project to preserve aesthetics rather than risk a sub par project. I also like to get second opinions from my friends and my teacher before making big decisions about a piece. For example, I will not glaze a project until I have gotten the opinion from at least two people. When I cannot figure out how to create the look, or shape I am trying to make, I also turn to my friends and teacher for advice. I love utilizing the different creative minds in the classroom in order to make my piece as good as it can be.

     My current work reflects my love for the natural world. I often incorporate some kind of nature element into my pieces ranging from a tree to a clementine and everything in between. I have a passion for the environment as I try to lead a sustainable life as a vegan. In my free time, I often take walks and hikes in the woods or on mountains. As I trek my way through nature, I am always amazed at how at peace I am. In my ceramic pieces I try to emulate my love and veneration for nature by modeling my pieces off of different elements in nature.