About

Was it Picasso who said that we should distrust anyone who calls himself an artist? That is a task for others to determine. I work in two studios beside many artists, both established and aspiring. They refer to me as an artist. Though flattered, I prefer to think of myself as an amateur, from the Latin word “amatorem”, meaning a lover of something. In my case, ceramics, steel, and bronze. T.S. Eliot said that poetry is a “raid on the inarticulate.” That reflects what I am trying to do.

Everyone brings a unique set of experiences to their work, whatever the task might be. Two experiences continue to influence my work as an artist. For thirty years I lived the disciplined life of a De La Salle Brother.  The value and effect of living a communal life with its extended periods of silence, reading, prayer and work remain with me today. Secondly, thirty years of marriage have changed me in remarkable ways. As you know, and as I was late to learn, love changes everything.

I have also been shaped by my patients. For decades I was a practicing psychologist.  No one can work in such an intimate way with individuals without learning about one another. To each I say thank you.In more recent years I have had the good fortune to serve as as a senior executive within regional and national health care systems. You might ask how could that have possibly influenced my life as an artist? The answer is simple. Year after year, I learned that beneath the frenetic pace of contemporary life, there lives the desire within all of us to live a reflective and meaningful life. Art is one way to touch, as well as nourish, that life.

Formal education has also influenced my work. I hold graduate degrees from LaSalle University (Theology), Duquesne University (Formative Spirituality), Notre Dame University (Chemistry), and a doctorate from Andover Newton Theological School (Psychology).  My publications include Healing with Heart: Inspirations for Health Care Professionals (2008) which received “Book of the Year” award in the area of leadership from the American Journal of Nursing, Prayer: A Relationship Without Words (2010), and Healthy Ways to Work in Health Care: A Self Care Guide (2012). You will find my understanding of spirituality reflected in those publications. [Contact: Moss Communications, Publishers].

Recently, and most importantly, a cadre of teachers and artists associated with the studios of the former Santa Fe Clay and the Santa Fe Community College have shaped my work. They know of my gratitude and admiration.