Much of my work examines the innate beauty of nature versus the cosmic intervention of people. My cultural sense is grounded in the belief that every object has a meaningfulness or spirit. Every rock, every tree, every element contributes to our connection to this world and keeps us rooted to an ancestral past.

With the small figures, I am interested in their talismanic aspect and iconic relationship with the world at large. They can symbolize the preciousness, wonder, or intimacy that is set aside and lost from our everyday adult life. The portrait busts are more inclined toward a broader narrative and symbolic interpretation. The meaning of faith, belief, fortune, chance, and life's ironies weave in and out. This adds a sense of mystery and innate connection to the multicultural landscape of the human figure.

In 2004, I graduated with a B.F.A. in Traditional Arts, with an emphasis in ceramics and printmaking. I continued to work at the university as an adjunct faculty member and lab technician, gaining invaluable experience in making glazes and firing kilns.

Born in the middle of the United States, I am half Japanese and half Cajun. My mother was half a continent and an ocean away from her rising sun. My father was in the Army and stationed everywhere except his home state of Louisiana. My influences come from this mixture of East meets West: Shinto and Roman Catholic. Japanese spirits and bayou ghosts. Teacups and chalices. Tied together with joyous humor and quiet rituals.

My Japanese mother brought to this country her collection of kokeshi, simple wooden dolls made of two spheres connected by a small peg. Enamored with their simplicity and grace even as a child, they became totemic figures for me. Combined with my paternal Cajun joie de vivre, they symbolize my tenuous connection to my mixed ancestry and my own journey across cultural barriers.

There is an inclination toward narrative and allegorical work that appeals to me. Incorporating games, proverbs, icons, and idioms into my work gives it a humorous and ironic quality I cannot resist.

Clay is a challenging, resilient, and lively medium. It responds to the touch in an immediate and spontaneous way that appeals to my senses. The challenge is allowing for the accidents. Every fracture, crack, and mark activates the surface. It is the written dialogue between the medium and myself.

Into My Heart, the Singing Bird Will Come

Ceramic - 18 × 7 × 3 in.

$1,200.

Far & Near

Ceramic - 11 × 7 × 3 in.

$950.

Rise & Shine

Ceramic - 12 × 7 x 3

$950.