90 Spring Farm Drive
Horse Shoe, NC 28742
828 890 0525

Paradox Pottery

Media: Clay

I've lived most of my life in North Carolina, from the eastern part of the state, to the

piedmont to the montains. It's such a diverse state in topography and people. I've 

gone other places but there's just something about this state that makes it perfect

for the Paradox. Paradox Pottery was started in Greenville NC in 1972. It's a state

of mind as well as a studio. Today it's located here in the montains, south of Asheville.

When people ask me why I call it Paradox pottery I tell them it's a metaphor for life:

a Real Illusion.How this Illusion is created and what makes it Real is my primary focus

as an artist.Emersed in creation of pottery, i have to deal with the realities of nature

and the nature of reality to make beautiful and meaningful objects.

My method is to work the way nature works- exploration and refinement. My goal

is Unity. I've long been fascinated by the dynamics of chaos and order. With the pots

I've combined 2 systems of chaos (salt and sawdust firing) seperated with wax resist

patterns from my imagination into distinct areas thus creating order without 

destroying the vitality of chaos.This creates a Unity.

The patterns and abstract imagery are coming from, I used to say, the subconscious

but that's not quite right. They're origin is  creative impulse/intuition. By exploring

and refining this duality, I'm working on me as well as the pots: Unity no.2.

What I'm doing has to be meaningful to other beings such as yourself or the whole

enterprise is a failure.I must relate as well as create for that Unity( no. 3)

There's always a 4th in every idea. the 4th unity has to do with what is this life

of mine all about? Where am i going when it's over? why am i here? I can only

ansure with my pots. Will they be good enough? Life is full of mysteries but nothing

like where we're headed. JW 2012