Glamorous, glamorous stromatolites

Hi, I’m Riley! I am currently an Artist in Residence at the Saratoga Clay Arts Center in Schuylerville, NY. While researching the local geology, I discovered the Petrified Sea Gardens and Lester Park—both sites that preserve the remains of a 490-million-year-old tropical sea floor and contain some of the best-preserved stromatolite fossils in the world.

I immediately fell in love with the intricate swirls and gentle topography of these ancient microbial mats. Since then, I’ve been capturing their textures through some of the largest bisque molds I’ve created to date. Stromatolites continue to be my muse as I explore new approaches to slab building, and I’m currently using these textures to create work for an exhibition this summer at Saratoga Clay Arts.

Stromatolites are layered, rock-like formations created by colonies of cyanobacteria over immense spans of time as they trap, bind, and cement sediments together. They are the oldest known fossils on Earth and were dominant for nearly two billion years, playing a major role in oxygenating the planet’s atmosphere. Hooray for stromatolites!

Isle Royale
Collection

In 2025, I was selected as an Artist in Residence for Isle Royale National Park. I spent two weeks living in a historic cabin set on rocky ledges and surrounded on three sides by Lake Superior. During that time, I was fully immersed in the landscape, with the space, time, and quiet to focus entirely on making work.

I brought over 200 pounds of clay with me to explore and record the unique textures of Isle Royale. Over the course of the residency, I used all 200 Ibs to create 72 texture molds across seven islands in the archipelago. Each mold was taken on site, recording the surface and character of a specific place.

Using these molds, I am currently creating a body of work that holds the essence of Isle Royale, offering a tactile connection to the island. The collection will launch in early summer 2026. Sign up here to be notified when it becomes available and to receive updates on future releases!