Making pots on a daily basis satisfies Don’s need for discipline, physical and mental exercise, creativity and productivity. Skill and competence at the potter’s wheel, in glazing, decoration, and firing were early goals and continue to be primary goals even today. His search now is about bringing these elements into a cohesive whole. Slowly, day-by-day, his work continues to evolve and progress towards the development of a voice in clay. Finding and using this voice on a daily basis is a continuing and ever changing challenge for him in his work as a potter. Don’s background includes classwork at Concordia College, apprentice work at Claybanks Studio

Pottery and Edgecomb Potters. Don currently creates his functional pottery at his Boulder studio.

Each piece is individually thrown on a traditional treadle wheel with white stoneware clay. He then alters each piece by applying a thick clay slip to add texture, impart movement, define edges, and change form. Additional clay slips and glazes are then applied for color and decoration by dipping, brushing and spraying. Don’s brushwork is inspired by traditional sumi’e painting and takes the form of fish, birds, and bamboo. The work is then single fired to cone 10 in a soda atmospheric kiln, a variation of traditional salt firing. He makes a variety of functional pieces including teapots, vases, platters, casseroles, and dinnerware.