My Story

I've always returned to clay and I'll probably continue to fall in love with it over and over again.  My earliest memories of clay are with Mrs. Kennedy in elementary school but I fell in love with clay while attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I completed my Bachelor in Fine Arts.  While living in Chicago, I taught children’s classes in ceramics and multi-media at Lill Street Art Center and the Lill Street Learning Center – a non-profit offshoot that offered ceramics instruction and workshops to city park districts, schools without art programs and hospitals, etc.  I also taught adult and children’s classes at another ceramic education center Terra Incognito in Oak Park, IL.  I worked for Eric Jensen, a ceramic artist, and began doing craft shows in and outside of Chicago.  Teaching at various centers and working with an independent artist taught me a lot about how to organize, maintain and run a ceramics studio.

Eventually, I returned to the east coast to pursue a home-based ceramics studio and I've had a home studio in some form or another for over 20 years and have always made functional stoneware.  In 2017, I decided to become a full-time potter and officially launched Fierce Pierce Pottery.  Starting my own business and being a full-time maker has made me feel empowered, excited and been some of the hardest work I’ve ever done.  Most of the time it's just doing one thing at a time. And often, I feel like I'm doing exactly what I want to be doing – living my dream.  

What inspires me is creating work that people use.  I love the notion of someone sipping from a mug made from my hands - knowing that they will discover all the imperfections and develop a relationship with it.  I love picturing my work amongst a table of friends and family breaking bread with handmade plates and bowls, becoming part of traditions and connections with those we care about.  Clay has a memory and each piece I make has a lifetime and a history.  Some of my favorite pieces are broken and that's ok. I hope that anyone that brings my work into their home - uses it fiercely and accepts that one day it may break.  But while it's around, it should be touched and shared with others so that it can be a part of life.  I believe that like life, pots are better when shared.