I have always drawn, but it was not until my wife Lilian and I bought an old farmhouse in Freedom Township that I started to take drawing seriously. To my surprise I produced a large number of pastel drawings exploring my feelings for the surrounding land.
In 2007 I began using the large scale enameling kiln at Kent State University to carry out a long delayed commission for Cleveland’s 117th Street RTA Station. I am definitely not a painter but something about the enameling process fascinated me, and for the last few years I created a series of enameled landscapes and exhibited them at the William Busta Gallery in Cleveland. These landscapes were created from glass enamels fused onto steel. They depicted my feelings for the countryside that surrounds my studio in Ohio. While this is a difficult medium to work with, the final results had a rich, tactile surface that needs no protection and is easily cleaned. All the enameled landscapes were created using the large scale enamel kiln at Kent State University, and with few exceptions all are 36” high by 48” wide, unframed.
For the last three years, I have been creating ceramics which I fire in a wood-fired kiln outside my studio. I began with very small cups, and these have developed into a series of pots and vases, often with images of people enjoying themselves.
My art is about the materials and processes I am using, and oftentimes, the environment into which a commissioned work will be placed will also have a direct impact on its materials and aesthetics. I always strive to keep the work fresh and exciting. Usually I am inspired by nature. She is ever changing, sprouting up in new and marvelous ways. I want my work to capture some of that energy.
