Mike Sisson is a native San Diegan and former high school teacher of 30 years. He has a BA in Industrial Arts with emphases in Graphic Art and Photography from San Diego State University.

   His interest in pottery began while traveling in France in the early 1980's, happening into a small Burgundy town where a local production potter was hard at work. As it has with so many other people, watching the conversion of a crude ball of clay into a graceful and useful object affected him permanently. That, Combined with an interest in cooking and baking, were the necessary motivations to find instruction and set up a garage facility at home. Two homes later, he now has a dedicated studio/kiln facility in the Jamul residence shared by he and his wife, Mona.

   The pottery has evolved from stoneware casseroles and pitchers to porcelain bowls, covered containers and teapots. The changes were the result of instruction and experimentation. Mike originally studied with Eric Christian in Spanish village, then Catharine Hiersoux, Stephen de Staebler and Brian Ransom in workshops. The experimentation is one of the more attractive aspects of the medium to Mike in that every new glaze, clay, firing schedule and forming technique can produce a new and interesting outcome.