Paul’s Story

I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I started painting in oils at the age of eight, and continued into college at the University of Montana in Missoula. There I discovered clay, studying with Rudy Autio, one of America's best known clay artists and muralists, and earned both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree. After graduate school, my wife and I moved to Seattle, and I’ve been a professional clay artist there since 1972, first making functional pottery and, since 1986, working exclusively on ceramic tile. I’m known for my painterly style of glazing, and for the wide diversity of imagery, styles and techniques I employ in my tile art. As a former mule packer, horse wrangler, and hunting and fishing guide, I often show my love of mountains and the outdoors in my landscape, floral, animal and fish murals. I am also widely respected for expertise in glaze chemistry.

I am the author of “China Paint & Overglaze”, published by American Ceramic Society in 2007. Articles by me have appeared in Ceramics Monthly, Studio Potter, The Crafts Report, Clay Times, Pottery Making Illustrated and other magazines, and my work has been featured in a number of textbooks. I am also active in the crafts community, and have been President of both the Washington Potters' Association and Northwest Designer-Craftsmen, and a member of the Studio Potter Network National Advisory Board.

I have taught at Pottery Northwest, the Factory of Visual Arts, Highline Community College, and at numerous workshops across the United States and Canada.

My work has been shown in many regional and national exhibitions, and is included in the collections of the Montana Institute of the Arts, Colorado Springs Art Museum, Overlake School, and Pacific NW Bell. The Mayor of Seattle once presented pieces of my work to, among others, the King of Sweden and the Queen of Denmark.

I invite you to view my fine art website to see my acrylic works on canvas and board.