Clay is dirty, and clay is fun. From a very young age I've had great appreciation as well as great passion for art. Even before starting elementary school, painting, drawing, and making things with my hands were what I truly enjoyed. My freshman year of high school I tried my hand at ceramics. Truly I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Soon I found myself covered in mud from head to toe every day as a new (and very dirty) passion was evolving. Every spare moment was spent working in the ceramics studio, even carving designs into a piece walking home from class. This new medium had endless possibilities, and I was hooked.

I've been working with clay now for over 10 years, and my love for it grows more with each passing day. As an artist I find functional work most satisfying. A soup bowl, mug, or dinner plate can all be works of art, and each piece seems to claim a special life of its own.

A teacher once alleged, "It isn't possible to make the perfect pot, and if you did, you'd be done, and could make nothing more." I'm now more certain than ever that this statement is the absolute truth. Yet I still strive every day to make that perfect pot, and every day I enjoy the evolution of each new attempt.

STUDIO ACCESS: The gallery can be accessed from the front of the building, five steps up and one more through the doorway.

Images © Matt Van Susteren