Connect What is your favorite type of art to create?

I’m happiest covered in clay and creating functional ceramic pieces with sculpted elements. I started out with mugs and have ventured into vases and other vessels with organic shapes, horns, spikes, chains, and glazes that feel hardcore. Reflective of the other side of my personality, I also often sculpt nature elements such as slugs and strawberries on a bowl or carve very intricate illustrations of different medieval hares with the sgraffito method.

Where do you find inspiration?

Outside in the gardens, the woods, the walking trails. Taking time on a walk to admire that tiny caterpillar or the little spiderweb glistening in the sunlight that otherwise might not have been noticed. I also greatly admire the medieval and renaissance eras. The architecture is just incredible. The weaponry, fashion, lifestyle, and arts of that time are all endlessly inspiring. Overall, these inspirations help me think of interesting texture, motifs, form, and color to add to my work.

What would you do with $25,000?

First, winning this competition would be a massive push for me to be more confident in myself as an artist. As such, I would invest in the home pottery studio of my dreams! As of now, I just have a pottery wheel but would love to have my own kiln for firing my work at home. Other additions such as a throwing chair (and not one of my wooden kitchen chairs) that is also ergonomic, a wall extruder, slab roller, etc. Tools that would bring efficiency to my studio and allow more time for creating.