I create ceramic figures and vessels which feature magical beasts and their human companions seeking their truth in an unfamiliar world. I’m interested in the ways that young people attempt to find their true selves amidst the pressures of our materialistic, image-obsessed society. In my work, I set this search for self in a parallel realm from our own: the lush, dreamlike environs common to a literary genre known as Portal Fantasy. Portal Fantasy stories are an apt metaphor for growing up: as the plot features protagonists who are thrust suddenly through a portal into a new world, where nothing makes sense and they don’t know how to fit in. Though these fantasy worlds may be beautiful and full of magic, they also present challenges to the protagonist’s identity and sense of morality. I lavish detail and imagery upon my pieces to signal that they come from a world such as these. Visually, you will find many references to the Portal Fantasy genre, such as block-print-like illustrations, animal characters, or fantastical landscapes. Often, characters will tumble, fly, or swim in an indeterminate space, giving a sense of their inner uncertainty.