David is a self taught potter. He learned how to throw pottery while he was unemployed during the last great recession. There were two subjects in school that he disliked, chemistry and art. He never understood form and function, and could never understand why in chemistry a gram or two would make a difference in outcomes. What he found was that throwing a clump of clay on a wheel was a great form of relaxation. He developed a philosophy of letting the clay tell him what the object was going to be. David continues to explore the fluidity of clay.

I find it fascinating how old the making of pottery is. I imagine that our ancient friends discovered that after building a fire over a clay firebed, that the surface would be baked hard. I would guess that our ancient friends wondered how to take advantage of this discovery. Maybe making beads and trinkets, before bowls and storage systems. So when I am throwing a clump of clay on a wheel, I can feel the presence of the ancient history pulling on me.

I started making pottery after losing my job of 30 years. I found the process very therapeutic and helped me out of depression. What I never expected was to find that people would find my work worth purchasing. For 10 years I traveled the county selling my wares at 25 plus art shows a year and making a decent living in the process.

Today, I am retired, and I plan on only 1 or 2 events. Hauling pottery around from show to show is ton of work. For a while I was going through 5 to 6 thousand pounds of fresh clay a year. Now, I expect to be a lot less productive. I have the honor and privilege of taking care of my 92 year old mother in law who has dementia. Part of the circle of life we all get to enjoy.