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Biography
Born in St. Paul, raised in North East or “Nord
East” Minneapolis, I was exposed to and participated in many creative activities
through my childhood. These included: Calliope Children's Theatre, Fuller
Young People's Theatre, Cricket Theatre, musicals, dance, playwriting, fiction
and poetry writing.
My first experience with a studio medium was as a
blacksmith apprentice when I was 13. I was also exposed to carpentry and
photography through my father (my dad had a dark room off of my bedroom where
our laundry room was), cooking through my mother, and a general "can do"
attitude toward all forms of problem solving. My teaching debut was my first
dance class at a community center when I was 15.
When I was 16, we moved to Osceola, Wisconsin where
we restored a 20 acre farm, tore down out buildings and saved every piece of
wood for use on other parts of the property.
After I graduated from high school, I attended
University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire where starting out in theatre and communications, I finished with a degree in English and
philosophy with
certainly enough extra credits in writing, composition and Art to have another
degree. As an undergraduate in English, it was my dream to be a writer and
published my first poem in the Wisconsin English Journal. I also gave
poetry readings in Eau Claire, Milwaukee and Duluth. Also while in college, I
danced on a troupe and danced in a production in England while studying abroad.
The Arts in some form have always been a part of my life. It was in my
last semester I discovered my ability in clay and decided I would become a super
senior for 2 years in order to develop my new found skills. Clay was to be
the new form of my expression that I would pursue vigorously.
Mike Weber, a now retired professor from UW-Eau
Claire, completely inspired me to pursue clay after taking that first clay class
during my last semester. When one of the first 3 pots I had ever thrown made it
into a juried art exhibition, I thought I might have some natural talent or at
least hoped I did. Mike Weber provided
priceless guidance and inspiration and helped me design my first Anagama wood
kiln. He is truly an example of an Artist who is a teacher, who has been down
the developmental pathways one must go down in order to create something
exemplary. He shared his passion with his students about the self discovery and
development aspects of clay, about focus, teamwork, and seeing something through
from beginning to end. I will be eternally grateful to him.
After extending my graduation to take clay classes,
I graduated with honors, and from an invitation to study traditional Korean
ceramics in Korea after working on the University of Minnesota’s Korean wood
fired smoke kiln, I traveled to Korea and taught English while I worked out of a
studio for two months with mentoring and guidance from Mike. Realizing that I definitely wanted to pursue clay and
more education, I returned to America and was accepted into the Masters in Art
program at UW-Superior under Jim Grittner. There I complete my coursework in a
year, extended my education further for further development as I was rejected
from some of the best graduate MFA programs in the country.
While in graduate school, I met my wife, we started
a family and I also completed the coursework and student teaching for a K-12
teacher certification from UW-Superior. While completing my teacher
certification, I had the privilege of teaching at Lake Superior College for
three semesters. Unfortunately, the college was unable to accommodate the rapid
growth of the successful program under the leadership of Dorian Bealeau. As a
consequence of that lay off, I started my own pottery and sculpture program and
made the commitment to making a living from my artwork.
I was rear ended in a car accident in 2006
which has left me with continuing neck and back issues and
struggling to being able to pursue this dream. This has also caused me to
look at other
skills of mine to develop. Having a computer background and willingness to
learn new technology, I was afforded the opportunity to be a sabbatical
replacement at Hibbing Community College for the year (where I had done some
online teaching a few years back) as well as work for Lake Superior College
teaching digital photography online. As the life of an adjunct goes and
when new management comes in, we are easily kicked the curb. It is sad how some professionals in
education treat people these days--especially the people that are educating our
young people. Anyway, this has motivated me to creatively think about how
to proceed and what I can do while dealing with my injury, whether to pursue
further education, a new career, etc. I have more recently
focused on my photography, film making, and screen writing while also developing my
digital art related skills. I am currently trying to find my way back into
the studio while also applying for adjunct work online and working at Best Buy.
I try to remind myself that without struggle there
is no progress.
Why I do what I do?:
What you or I might call “Art” I think of as
“expression.” I create pottery, write poems, capture moments in time in
photography or dance because I can and because I must. I have discovered that
creating Art, expressing myself has taught me about myself and other
cultures. Art brings
your strengths and weakness out in front. It is apparent in your work.
It is the looking glass of dirt. There is no lack of honesty in the clay.
When working honestly, there are no secrets other than those within your self
waiting to be discovered. Honest work is there for all to see who are
willing to look, but more importantly, to recognize intent. Everybody looks but not
everybody sees. That is part of goal of what I do. Honest
expression is an expression of strength. Somewhere in time men were taught
that other than grunting, the degree to which they could reproduce, and showing
their might--everything else expressed was a sign of weakness. I have found that
it takes a stronger man to display his feelings, to put them out there in the
open--open to scrutiny, yet possessing enough strength and sensibility to not
let what others say or think affect him negatively, stray him from his vision,
but also listening to others in his attempt at refinement. The artistic
process not only builds character, but it builds strength and one’s ability to
refine, define and better one’s self. It is an opportunity open to all.
If money were no object, I would…
Pay off my $55,000 in student loans, buy land,
build a modest house, studios, and eventually accommodation for visiting
artists. There would also be apprenticeship type programs with visiting
artists, workshops, local artists exchanges, networks with the local schools to
get the children and adults involved with the artists and making things with
their hands, minds and hearts.
The primary responsibility of an artist is…
To his or herself and commitments made to others.
The greatest artists are those whose work is an attempt at an accurate
expression of themselves, their current state of mind, body, spirit—where the
artwork attempts to capture that moment in time—it is more of consequence of
working in the medium then the reason for working in the medium—THAT IS WHY MANY
OF US ARE DRAWN TO ART--BECAUSE THERE IS TRUTH WITHIN AN ARTIST'S EXPRESSION THAT
HAS INTEGRITY AND SOMETHING INSIDE OF US WANTS TO KNOW THAT TRUTH AND SO WE ARE
DRAWN TO IT. Of course, there are always exceptions to this and plenty of Art
out there that is quite dishonest--and frankly, there are many people drawn to
that as well--the illusion of love, the illusion of vitality, energy, substance.
What I've learned about working as an artist is if you pursue your Art with
integrity, it becomes the looking glass of dirt, offering you a way to learn
about yourself, develop yourself for the better. Our science of today can
validate increased brain function, intelligence, creativity and over all
efficiency by working in artistic, kinetic tactual/audio visual expressive
mediums. Clay is not the only thing I am interested in: photography, film
making, virtual games, 3D virtual worlds, poetry, and interactivity.
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