About the Artist

A little over forty years ago, some friends and I decided to try to save the earth by buying as much of it as we could. We found a wonderful old 500-acre farm in the Ozark Mountains, abandoned since 1946 — before the use of pesticides. We incorporated as Sweetwater Community Land Trust, dedicated to stewardship of the land, and spent the next twenty years on the ragged edge of bankruptcy paying off the mortgage. I worked strange and interesting jobs along the way, including several years in the Gulf of Mexico oilfields as a ship's cook.

In 1984, I opened the pottery in an old carriage shed — 200 square feet, insulated and floored by hand. The 90-cubic-foot downdraft gas kiln I bought standing in New Orleans, took apart brick by brick, and reassembled at Sweetwater with the help of some potter friends. It actually worked.

The studio grew from that 200-square-foot carriage shed into a 1,000-square-foot workspace built largely from recycled materials. For years I traveled the country selling pottery at craft fairs and markets — I loved the romance of the road. But as I get older, I want to stay home more and just make pots. And play with my grandchildren. Hence the website.

Every piece I make is thrown on the wheel by hand, fired in that same kiln I rebuilt decades ago. Because each piece is made by hand, no two are exactly alike — small variations in glaze, form, and size are the mark of handmade work, and part of what makes every piece one of a kind. All my work is lead-free and dishwasher safe.