I make practical and ritual ceramic vessels in rural Georgia, from a variety of stoneware clay bodies. My studio is located in Roberta, the seat of Crawford County, which was a historical center for practical pottery. I live just a few miles away from the Lizella Clay Company in Lizella, Georgia; they produce a porous, pliable, groggy, iron rich clay which fires between a terracotta-like red at cone ^6, and a dark chocolatey brown at cone^10. I primarily use this clay body for planters and bonsai pots, because of its ruggedness and its porosity making it suitable for absorbing excess water.
My studio was gifted to me by my uncle, Stanley. He allowed me to use his old wood workshop, and the plethora of tools old men tend to collect, as a workspace to make ceramics. He and my mother, Sheree, are collectors of traditional Crawford County pottery.
The wheel I first started on, and still frequently use is a cast iron, Amaco 3-C motorized kick wheel. They were produced in 1947 and were one of the first motorized wheels. It was gifted to me by my sister and friend, Ash, who is a potter herself, when she could no longer use it.
Objects meant for ceremonial or ritual uses are a primary focus of my ceramics practice. The metamorphosis ceramics undergo intrigue me as a trans woman and a witch. The tactile feelings are my favorite part of the process. The sensations of the surface of clay as it undergoes each step towards its final transformation into a finished, glazed piece. For this reason I strive to create objects that invite touch and closer inspection.
Some of the ritual objects I create include urns for humans and pets or familiars, incense/censer cauldrons, tea leaf reading cups, scrying/divination bowls, and drinking vessels.
Olympia Stoneware 