. . . I believe my African ancestors work through my fingers to create each collectible art sculpture in the Kanika African Sculptures collection.  My creative process generally begins with a 25-pound block of red clay.  Shapes of women, abstract forms, or other figures seem to take shape on the clay surface and my hands begin to move.  Press.  Scratch with a metal tool.  Incise.  Build.  My hands are driven by a spiritual force to shape the clay.  I am as surprised and delighted as my clients by the result and they can sense and share in the excitement I feel for the clay.  Joyful.  The spiritual essence from the ancestors shines through.  I am humbled.

I have created a distinctive collection of exotic, mixed-media art sculptures, which includes intricate hand-painted tile mosaics and other two-dimensional wall pieces, three-dimensional sculptures, masks, wearable art, figurines, goddesses, breast cancer survivor jewelry, and tribal-design pottery.  Fabric, leather, metal, beads, glass and shells often enhance the clay sculpture to add texture and interest.

Studying with renowned potter/sculptor Ruth Rippon in 1980 and with figurative sculptor Yoshio Taylor in the 1990s, I have also taken numerous clay sculpting and glazing workshops with local professionals.  I have been a member of the Elk Grove Artists and Sacramento Potters Groups for over a decade.