Hamilton, MT 59840

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The basic components of every man-made object come from the earth and slowly return to it; functional becoming dysfunctional in the course of decay.

As a western Montana sheep rancher, often what inspires me is just a segment of an old item; an area that has been worn smooth by the grasp of rough hands over many hours of use, or some portion where the artistic side of the inventor stepped forward to add a touch of grace to an otherwise mundane tool.  Sometimes the inspiration is merely a scrap that has endured the ravages of the weather or the high mountain sun, becoming fully enriched by the patina of time.

I often mimic that intriguing section, that marriage of art and utility, and combine it with other forms to recreate it as an utterly dissimilar object with a wholly different function. The lines of a well-designed spout on an old oil can might be recreated as a handle for a teapot or the rim on a serving platter. The shape of a funnel might work well in an entirely separate situation.

Inspired by memories, the images, the shapes, and the surfaces of past aspects of ranching and living in Montana, my one-of-a-kind designs are free from the monotony and grasp of mass production. I frequently engage in primitive, open pit firings and utilize homemade glazes to mimic the onslaught of the years. Sometimes I simply make what I want and the motives can be myriad. Nevertheless, the uniqueness and allure are born of the fusion of iron and clay, fire and earth, form and functionality.