The overall look and style of my work is a combination of artistic creativity and a reflection of the hairstyles, designs and lifestyles of different Native American groups. I have lots of respect for their heritage and culture and strive to give my sculpture a look of dignity that reflects this respect.

Each of the sculptures I create is unique. I do not use any molds or forms, but begin with a slab of clay that is shaped for each figure whether it is a man or woman, standing or sitting. This creates a hollow torso that I then build on combining different clays to create the sculpture you see. After a slow drying, the figures are fired in an electric kiln for 10 hours in preparation for the glaze application. The glazes are applied by brush to create the bright colors on the sculpture. After I finish the glaze application on the figure, I work on the pottery for them. I use a potter's wheel and make a wide variety of shapes and sizes that reflect traditional Native American pottery. The designs on the pottery are also a reflection of Native American designs.

The bands and designs of glaze on the sculpture are a combination of color choices and width and location on the blanket. I try not to duplicate these designs except on pieces I create as pairs. These pairs are sculpted together, glazed together and fired next to each other in the kiln.

Each sculpture has been final fired in a twenty cubic foot gas down draft kiln. They are fired at 2300 degrees F in a reduction firing. The term "reduction" refers to the firing atmosphere in the kiln. This type of firing is what gives the sculptures their rich earth tones on the clay and depth in the glaze colors.

The final firing takes 12 to 14 hours and must be monitored during the entire time. This final firing is not an automatic procedure. There are many factors that affect the firing, some of which I cannot control such as humidity and outside temperature. This adds an element of uniqueness to all the sculptures that emerge from the kiln.

As you can see, there are many variables in the creation of my figures and every one is done completely by me and cannot be duplicated even by myself.