I first discovered clay as a child digging in the dirt in my backyard. I have been enthralled with it ever since. During my first class of college ceramics, I chose to build my lifelong passion for the arts into a career as a working artist and educator. Pursuing this passion, I met my wife, Theresa Welty, and some of my closest friends. Theresa and I live and teach in San Antonio, Texas, and we have two beautiful children, Cole and Jody. I received an MFA in ceramics from the University of Montana and currently serve as Assistant Professor of Art at Northwest Vista College, San Antonio, Texas.

The Jentel Critic at the Bray was a gift, bestowed through the generosity of artists and art enthusiasts who were eager to share their thoughts, energy, time and patronage. At the Archie Bray Foundation, I met exceptional emerging and established ceramic artists. They welcomed me into the intimate space of their studios and into the creative underpinnings of their work. Critical writing became my witness to the journey of six artists, whose artistic creations reflect their distinctive life stories and the role of the supportive community offered by the Archie Bray Foundation.