Growing up on an Illinois farm on the Mississippi River, Ann enjoyed playing in nature’s backyard and using plants to fashion her dolls and toys. However, allergies kept Ann indoors through most to the winter months, where she read voraciously. Her love of art was as natural as growing up. Her first artwork, a guppy tank on cardboard, was painted using her brother’s model car paints. Since art was not offered in grade school, Ann took private tutoring and once in high school, she took college classes. Aside from this “formal” training, most of Ann’s methods are self-taught with a strong focus on sculpture and pastel drawing. After moving to Tucson, Ann discovered her passion for clay.

     While taking figure sculpture class, a ceramics instructor told her that sculptures (armatures and all) could be fired. This was not taught in Wisconsin; it was all throwing and 100 shades of brown! This discovery led to years of focus in clay, primary doing slab, coil and hand forming. Feeling that the garden is the perfect venue for art and color, Ann has been creating outdoor art for the last decade. What better way to get color in the desert than glazed clay? It beats watering flowers in 100 degree plus weather!

     I feel that art is about communication and unspoken interaction with the subconscious. Often, ideas appear that you have no knowledge of, but can look back at that time and find it to be valid. Art opens op a vein of interpretation with others and self. Most of my work is about emotion, evoking a strong feeling from the viewer and getting their interaction. Feelings such as joy, sorrow, remembrance, fear, and longing are expressed easier in clay than words.