The Clay Cellar: About the Artist

t the age of nine, I knew that one day I would be an artist. I was awarded B.F.A. in sculpture from Kansas State University in 1975. After thirteen years in the commercial art world and 31 hours of post graduate work in clay, I made the full time commitment to pottery and in 1983 started the Clay Cellar in rural Kansas. Ray Freeby, my life partner and maker of the dish and small/medium bowl forms joined the studio in 1990 and in 1992 we entered the wholesale marketplace. A studio staff helps make, glaze, fire and ship our raku pottery to our many wholesale and consignment accounts. Today's studio activities are concentrated in two major areas: the PRODUCTION DIVISION which consists of our GIFT LINE (slip cast ring boxes, candle holders, decorative eggs, etc.) and our DESIGNER LINE (raku slab built bowls, dishes platters and wall domes) and the CUSTOM DIVISION which consists of limited editions and one-of-a- kind hand built or wheel thrown CUSTOM ART VESSELS, and mixed media CONTEMPORARY TILE WALL INSTALLATIONS.

New for 1998 & 1999 is COMMISSION WORK for site specific corporate and residential settings. I have received commissions for mobiles, and am currently making corporate design presentations for large outdoor fountains and sculptures and continues to receive commissions for her mixed media Contemporary Tile Wall Installations. My design proposal starts with a site survey and analysis where I integrate all spatial relationships of the environment and architectural element of the site to create a dynamic custom design solution. I am very adamant about making these artworks part of a total sculptural environment, to create a focus of spatial/form relationships to the environment and the buildings that contain or are adjacent to the artwork.