"Making pots isn't about making pots."
Don Reitz
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... it's about who the artist is as a person. Welcome to the abridged bio page.
Survived twenty-three years of sub zero winters in Wisconsin. Eschewed the traditional after school teenage jobs of lawn mowing and snow shoveling for production pottery at Bryan Becker Clay Works. Navigated 10 years of college: MFA-Indiana University, MA-Purdue University, BFA-University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Spent a nice, warm, humid, summer teaching English in Japan, while eating sushi, rice, seaweed, champon, soba, udon… and developing the basics of a visual vocabulary. Convinced Purdue University it would be a good idea to fund a three week solo excursion in Italy “to help set up an exchange exhibition” between Italian artists and Graduate students at Purdue. After much work by the faculty and students, the show, “Fatti d’Argilla/Made in Clay” toured multiple venues in the United States and Italy and was featured in international ceramic publications. Given the opportunity to form the minds of America’s youth, teaching Ceramics, Sculpture and 3-Dimensional Design at Purdue University and Indiana University. One of the highlights of my daily practice of Chinese Kung Fu was narrowly defeating a former member of the Beijing National Wu Shu Team in a forms competition; resulting in a World Championship Title at a Chinese Kung Fu Tournament. Lived in a trailer in the middle of nowhere in Arizona while making art. The good and the bad: living and working with internationally renowned ceramic artist Don Reitz; and co-existing with neighbors respectfully referred to as Crazy Ted and Mean Gene. Skinned and ate a rattlesnake while firing a kiln… not just because it seemed like a good idea at the time. As a ceramic studio assistant, and kitchen prep cook, took part in very influential workshops with Richard Notkin, Ah Leon, and Don Reitz at the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina. Politely declined a teaching position at Notre Dame in favor of gaining extraordinary people skills working with the general public managing a restaurant in Los Angeles. Who knew an artist could read a P and L? Recently had the privilege to spend some educational and humbling time working in the awe-inspiring studios of Jun Kaneko, Omaha, Nebraska. Current endeavor: Sonnenberg Studios is a culmination of efforts and experiences, creating new opportunities. |