About me

My Pottery career emerged during a program at Kibbutz Kfar Hanasi in Israel taught by one of its founders. Along with pottery techniques, our teacher infused the class with Hebrew and Jewish and Israeli traditions and history. I also assisted a Jerusalem based clay artist and volunteered with new Ethiopian immigrants. Israelis immersed me in their diverse Jewish world of culture and folk art as well as their deep connection with land and agriculture.

Inspired by themes of Judaism, Israel, and flora of Israel, my work is now a melding of Judaica objects and secular work. I throw on the wheel as well as hand build, often pushing out in sections of six, like the six sided star of David. The resulting sections become a guide for glaze decorating inspired by Persian patterned pottery and Judaic iconography. Using a technique called glaze trailing over an initial coat of glaze, I outline wheat, fig, or pomegranate, depicting the seven species of fruits and grains of Israel; and fill in my drawings with additional glaze colors. My decorating glaze recipe uses a combination of chrome and tin causing the chrome to migrate and blush pink over the base glazes, creating a soft flowery effect on the surface of the pottery.

Designing both Judaica and secular pottery that people can interact with daily in the home is my passion but it has been especially rewarding to make ritual pieces to be used weekly for Shabbat and throughout the year for holidays. I enjoy crafting objects that reflect my love of Jewish culture and honor the earth and its beauty. Whether drinking a cup of coffee from my mug or saying prayers over candles with my candlesticks, I hope my pottery brings its owners moments of beauty and appreciation of the ritual.