Jeff Margolin was studying political theory at UC-Berkeley when he realized he was meant to be a ceramic artist! That was over 25 years ago, and he hasn't looked back. Margolin teaches ceramic techniques both at Berkeley and at M-I-T and his work is featured at galleries on both coasts and in the southwest. Margolin builds up his figures by painstakingly applying small strips of clay. Once they've dried, he carves and sands. The surface sheen is achieved by coating it with vegetable oil and burnishing with a quartz stone. The lines and spots are from applying hair and sawdust while the surface is hot.