About

I consider myself a Magpie of sorts; a life-long collector of visual impressions.  As a child, I lived in Kenya, where vibrant hues and bold patterns dominate textiles and where the landscape we explored on family camping safaris was vast and untamed.  Creativity and resourcefulness abounded, and remain traits I value to this day.

I am a maker of useful things. My little studio is tucked into the rolling Appalachian foothills near the Shenandoah River in lovely and historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It's nearly impossible to avoid unearthing potsherds whenever I work in the garden, and I love knowing that in making my pottery I continue an historical tradition.  Inspired by Early-American and English slipware, fluid surface designs and lush, transparent glazes enhance the warmth of my simple forms made from red earthenware clay. The designs reflect many things I hold dear . . . river eddies, the gift of a bird feather found on a morning ramble, agates my grandmother collected along a lake shore, and the pattern of wood grain revealing the hidden story of a tree's life.

While it was challenging on so many levels, the pandemic afforded me the time to discover, develop, and expand other projects that focus on treading lighter on the earth. My CHESTNUT'S line of eco-friendly Beeswax Food Wraps has grown to include small-batch, plant-based soap & lip balms. I'm learning how to weave chair seats to revive old furniture, and taking the time to help an aging parent. All meaningful to me.