Clay is central to Simon's life. In 1993, he fell in love with the movement of flame through a wood-kiln, and seeks to capture the sensuous qualities of soft forms and full curves that the flame paths create. He owns Mill Creek Pottery in Wisconsin, where he and his apprentices work to advance wood-fired pottery. In 2013, he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Taiwan exploring local materials, and has recently been a visiting artist at The China Academy of the Arts in Hangzhou, where he works with apprentices to advance technology across cultures.. Contact him at burndirt@gmail.com, and see more of his work on Artaxis.org.