"I have been working in the ceramic medium since 2002, and believe clay can enrich the most fundamental and beautiful aspects of life: enjoying and sharing food and drink. As a student in the Ceramics Department of West Virginia University and later as a production potter at Jason Silverman Ceramics in Philadelphia, PA, I was drawn to handmade pottery pieces for everyday use. I have sought to develop a very personal yet functional style that celebrates the movement and the moment between the hand and the clay, creating "maker's marks"-- unique gestures on the clay's surface. Every item is thrown by me on the ceramic wheel, trimmed by me, and glazed by me using glazes that I have formulated. I am very mindful of creating pottery that stacks well in cabinets, feels comfortable in the hand, and is unique. My "Jingle Bell Cups" (cups that have a void in the foot of the vessel that contains small ceramic beads that ring when the cup is shaken) are in the patenting process."