Meet the Artist
My Inspiration
I grew up in San Diego, but spent most of my summers with my grandmother in Chicago. She was a master seamstress. She could simply look at a garment and replicate it- no pattern necessary. As a child, I would sit for hours with her in her sewing room. I’d lay on the sofa watching game shows and soap operas while the hum of the sewing machine whirled in the background. I’d often steal glances of her. I’d watch her hands as they guided the fabric ever so close to the needle. I’d watch her foot lift and press the pedal over and over again. I loved the sound of her old metal scissors moving through fabric. I still distinctly remember by the smell of coffee and cigarette smoke that had permanently settled into the walls and furniture. I felt safe, loved, and little did I know at the time, I was also deeply inspired.
Odessa Hill was her name. And I was in awe of her. Even at such a young age, I knew that she was an artist, and her hands were her instrument.
Twenty four years after her death, she continues to inspire and motivate me. My pottery practice is in honor of her. I come from a long lineage of women makers and artists- women who used their hands to create beauty in an otherwise challenging existence. I carry that torch proudly.
My Process
I work out of my home studio in Oakland, California where I design and make all of my pieces by hand. I am drawn to modern, functional pieces that also exude a grounding quality. I love exposing the raw texture of clay with varying layers of glaze. I make most of my pieces on a potter’s wheel, but also hand build when the mood strikes.
My belief is that food tastes better when eaten out of a handmade bowl or plate. I strive to make goods that can be loved for years, if not generations. When you purchase and use one of my pieces, know that every step in the process was completed by me- the design, building, trimming, firing, glazing, firing again, packaging, etc. etc. Each step in the process is done with care and loads of love.
My Journey
I always envisioned myself as a potter long before I’d ever touched clay. I tried to pursue it a couple times over the years, but the classes were always full or way too expensive. Fast forward to May 2018, I’d signed up for an acrylic painting class. I wanted to learn a new artform as a way to heal after leaving a long career in social work. On the first day of class, the painting instructor was a no-show. I was told I could come back the following week when the teacher returned, or I could sit-in on the ceramics class that was also starting that evening. Well, needless to say, I never took that painting class. Pottery has become my meditation and my saving grace. For me, pottery is also political. As a Black ceramist, I call upon my ancestors who for generations upon generations have molded earth into beauty and utility. Also, through my pottery, I inhabit a space in which Black/POC ceramicists are largely underrepresented. And lastly, pottery is joy. And for my people, joy is an act of resistance.