Nature and my family's heritage are my artistic inspiration. My passion is to explore and refine methods to express my vision for the artwork I create in clay. I approach my creative process with excitement, energy, and persistence. Each piece I create is a labor of love...a piece of my heart. Sometimes, the smallest, most inconspicuous object (a seed pod, a shell, a rock...) will stimulate my imagination. I find objects and techniques that inspire me to explore them artistically. I research new methods, as well as images and designs and their meaning.
I utilize techniques and designs from my and my husband's cultures--Latvian and Native American, respectively. Many of my pieces have spiritual connections; many have a story whether from the process or the imagery. I incorporate Native American or Latvian symbols and designs, often with semi-precious stones. All of my work is handbuilt.
My artistic journey has taken me in quite a few different directions exploring a variety of techniques: black pottery (inspired by renowned Native American artist Maria Martinez), smoke-fired pottery (using many different substances to produce different colors), and Obvara (12th century Baltic Raku). In addition, I have accepted commissions to create horse hair pottery, pots with goose feathers, and memorial pots with dog or horse hair.
This quest, over the years, has led me to creating my own unique Zen Pottery, where stacked stones (never glued) are incorporated into my works of art. I attempt to evoke the spirit, the "Zen," of each piece and use stones, most of which I have collected myself, from a specific location (be it Baja, Mexico, the Oregon Coast, Ventura Beach, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, California, Ojo Caliente, New Mexico, or many locations in Colorado.