What’s New?
I didn’t set out on making art in a specific style or subject. I grew up in an urban environment which has influenced my artwork to this day. When I am out and about in the street my mind is always on alert and ready for inspiration.
Growing up around influences that were out of my control I learned self discipline and emerged myself into the arts as a way to keep myself out of trouble. Little did I know that it would be these experiences and interactions with people that would drive my art to this day.
My work is a mixture of my Indigenous Chumash Culture in which I love and my past and present experiences. I use my art as a vehicle to express my thoughts and ideas in my day to day life. It is not always appreciated or even understood about what I am trying to do, but I keep on working and creating. I am lucky I had my art to lead me on a positive path that fulfills me spiritually, emotionally, and artistically. Pottery, Jewelry Making, Flint Knapping, Painting, and leather work are my current methods of artistic expression.
My ProcessThe Synergy of My Pottery
When I mix these three elements, I am not just decorating a pot; I am are synthesizing a history of human expression:
Native American Designs: These provide the cultural soul and mathematical precision. Whether it is the balance of symmetry or the use of specific symbols (like the feather or the stair-step "life path"), these designs root the ceramic piece in a specific heritage of storytelling.
Basket Patterns: This adds a textural illusion. Baskets were often the precursor to pottery in many cultures. By applying "weave" patterns to clay, I am honoring the evolution of utility—mimicking the organic, interlocking rhythm of plant fibers in a permanent, kiln-fired medium.
Rock Art (Petroglyphs/Pictographs): These bring in the primal and narrative. Rock art is the oldest form of human "marking." By adding figures or symbols found on canyon walls, I give my pottery a sense of place and time, making the clay feel like a piece of the earth itself.
1. The "Connection to the Earth" Perspective
"My work is a tribute to the enduring spirit of the Southwest. By integrating the geometric discipline of Native American patterns with the tactile memory of basketry and the ancient narratives of rock art, I create vessels that feel less like objects and more like unearthed artifacts. Each piece is a conversation between the hand that weaves, the hand that carves, and the hand that molds."
2. The "Technical Synthesis" Perspective
"I am fascinated by the translation of textures across mediums. My pottery serves as a canvas where the soft, rhythmic language of woven baskets meets the stark, symbolic clarity of ancient petroglyphs. I use traditional Indigenous motifs to anchor these elements, creating a multi-layered aesthetic that honors the evolution of craftsmanship from stone to fiber to clay."
3. The "Legacy and Storytelling" Perspective
"Every pot I fire carries a lineage of symbols. I draw from the deep well of Native American design, using the repeating patterns found in traditional basketry to create a sense of movement. By layering these with the figures found in rock art, I aim to capture the stories of those who walked the land before us, preserving their voice in a modern, functional form."