I came to the University of South Carolina four years ago with a broad interest in the arts and virtually no experience working with clay as an art medium. Still rehabilitating after my third hip replacement, I took one class: Beginning Ceramics. In ceramics, I found a place to engage my engineering education, general problem solving inclinations and art interests in one medium. In the intervening years, I have taken a progression of courses in which I have developed my competency in hand-building, throwing, glazing and firing ceramics, everything from a life-sized bust self-portrait to a 32” vase. While I enjoy making functional pottery, I am enamored with altering and composing thrown pieces to form sculptural work. I found courses in clay and glaze chemistry and kiln building/firing very comfortable. Beyond firing electric and gas kilns, I helped design and construct a soda kiln and participated in five firings of the school's anagama kiln. I am familiar with the history of modern ceramics and the people who made it. A number of nationally and internationally known artists have visited the university and I have had the opportunity to meet and converse with these established artists and witness their demonstrations. As my skills have grown, I have actively assisted in these demonstrations and received critiques of my own work. I attended my first NCECA conference last year and am registered for the 2017 conference in Portland this spring. I have traveled to Seagrove and Bakersville, NC to visit the studios of clay artists who make ceramics for a living and to see demonstrations by their guests (Cousins in Clay). I attended the North Carolina Potter’s Conference in Asheboro this spring. I have exhibited in three juried student shows in the McMaster Gallery at USC and at the 41st Annual Juried Show at Anderson Arts Center in Anderson, SC. An exhibit featuring the work of Virginia Scotchie and her students was installed at the Sumter County Gallery of Art in the spring of 2017, including a piece of mine.