About Me:
Why I Teach People
How to Make Clay Pots

Teaching people how to make clay pots has been a major passion of mine for almost 15 years.

I'm very excited about this website because even though you and I haven't met, it has provided me with the opportunity to share that passion with you.

I have been making art all of my life.

I have a bachelors in art from The University of Washington. I finished my bachelors degree at the University's Rome, Italy campus.

Going to Italy was an amazing experience. The language, the food, the cobblestone streets, the art, and the history have permanently influenced my life and my pottery.

A few years ago I was finally able to take a trip there with my wife.

The Archie Bray is a huge compound littered with pots of all sizes, pottery kilns of all kinds, gardens, sitting areas, and labyrinths, all created with pottery.

That's me there in the photo hugging an amazing pot that I ran across at the entrance to the grounds. I guess you can tell I'm a bit excited! I had been wanting to visit there for over ten years, and the day that I spent there still inspires me like nothing else.

The awesome thing about pottery is that it is full of mystery and magic. I still find myself entering a revered silence when I watch someone throw a pot.

On the other hand, pottery is also very methodical and scientific. What's great, is that whether you're a science geek, artist freak, or anywhere in between there's an aspect of pottery that can inspire you.

That's what I love about it, and that's the reason I enjoy teaching people how to make clay pots. Are you ready to learn how to make your own pottery?

My Story

After two years of college studying pottery at Western Wyoming Community College, I moved to Seattle to "become an artist". I must have thought that living in Seattle around so much culture would make me an artist. I learned later that being an artist is more about what you do than where you are.

I firmly believe that life is about your experiences. So, even during college I went in search of experiences.

I studied art in Italy in 1997. I finished a bachelors degree in art at The University of Washington in 1998. I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1999.

In the winters I moved to the mountains so I could ski. I traveled quite a bit.

After graduating from college, I moved to Saratoga, Wyoming. While I was living there, my friend let me use part of his wood shop as a pottery studio. In exchange for use of the studio, I started teaching pottery to his children. That was my introduction to teaching. Later I went on to teaching adults as well.

Eventually, I moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho for what I thought would be a short visit.

I fell in love with the area, the people, and the outdoors. This is where I have stayed for the past ten years.

Ironically, I'm not far away from Wyoming, where I grew up, and some of my favorite places on earth.

I visit them often. I draw a lot of inspiration from the intense weather and towering rock formations. I also LOVE skiing and hiking in the Tetons.

I live here with my wife and two year old son. My wife is a massage therapist and my son is learning important stuff, like how to kick a soccer ball and how to say "airpwane".

Eventually, I'll teach him how to make clay pots, instead of just trying to eat the clay.

This website has been a work in progress for the past year and I hope to continue developing it until I run out of things to share.

I hope that eventually, other potters can contribute photos, videos and lessons about making pottery so we can all teach each other what we know about how to make clay pots. Maybe you'll have something to contribute!.

Until then, as always, thanks for reading, and Happy Potting.

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