What type of work do you do?
- I make functional pottery. In other words, I make pottery for every day use. Our business stems directly from our love of cooking. We enjoy making food and being in the kitchen as a family.
Why do you do this type of work?
Simply put, I do what I do every day because it makes me happy. Making pottery challenges me and I get to use my hands. There’s such a joy in creating usable objects with a forgiving material like clay.
How do you start your day?
Each morning, my day starts with a “double-strong” pot of Community Coffee. While drinking my coffee, I watch 12 squirming children say the Pledge of Allegiance on the local news program.
Best advice ever given to you? What bit of advice would you share with others?
You probably can’t use this, but my Dad always told me “never leave for a trip without a pint of whiskey.” As far as advice given to others, I have always encouraged people to never do anything unless it fills your soul. Life is too short to do something that doesn’t make you happy.
Who do you admire and why?
This question brings me back to my college days in Wichita, Kansas. I had a professor named Richard St. John. One day, I had completed about 90 milk pitchers and he asked me to turn one over. He told me to only put my signature on a finished product that I was proud of. I threw out that pot and started over. This encouraged me to only put out products of the highest quality. I have also signed my pottery pieces ever since.
