[vibrant music]
- Ceramics is personal to me.
I really enjoy the process.
The one thing that really gets me
is the smell that clay gives off.
I can describe it; it's kind of like morning rain.
I mean, to have it in your hands,
the whole experience, you get so involved,
caught up into it.
[hands slapping on clay]
I enjoy that movement,
that personal little story that you could really
shape into your piece.
[gentle string music]
I grew up in a small town in California named Visalia.
That's where I first was introduced to ceramic work.
I used to surf in California, but I don't surf anymore.
[footsteps]
I signed up in 2002, went to basic training in 2003.
I wanna protect who I love, so I thought the military
would be the best way to do that.
I did two tours in Iraq.
[car engine roaring]
We were in a convoy as the lead vehicle.
I was gunning on top of the vehicle.
[explosion]
We went across a IED on the side of the road.
And few days later, I was shipped to Walter Reed.
- And my life changed at that moment.
As I saw the man who's sitting there with, you know,
no legs says, "Hey, get a move on."
And that's his attitude.
He likes to do things as much as he can on his own.
He says, "You're as disabled as you want to be."
- I utilize the wheel,
but the only adaptation I had to take on was the foot pedal.
Using my prosthetic to try to operate,
it was very confusing since I don't have an ankle.
At Walter Reed, I did rehabilitation for about a year.
They have a art center.
So that's where I started to go back to ceramics.
- I would drop him off and he would spend a few hours there,
created all these different things.
And after a few months, he finally shared with me
that a lot of the markings on them,
it was an expression of what he was feeling
and going through.
So I'll never look at those cups the same again.
I thought, "Oh, a neat design," but I can see his art now.
And I understand Jude, and he speaks through it.
- This is throwing a piece in sections.
I just throw the base as one section.
And then when I move to the next section,
I flip it over and attach it.
There's more moisture in the connecting areas
than any other part of the clay.
You need to be a little bit more careful.
And I'll give it time to dry out by using a heat gun.
After my rehab, we lived in an apartment,
not very wheelchair accessible.
- Kristine: Service members that are severely injured,
they get an adaptive housing grant,
which is $64,000.
With that amount of money,
you could get maybe one bathroom that would be accessible,
but not an entire house.
But Homes For Our Troops came along.
And these are licensed contractors
that donate their time
for severely injured service members.
- All right. - Can you get plates?
- Yeah, I'll get plates.
It's perfectly adapted to me when I'm in my wheelchair.
- The kitchen countertops are lower.
If he's in his chair, he can roll under, use the sink,
as well as the stove, the island.
He can get everything that's in here.
It's all at his level.
- Mmm!
So now I have to do dishes.
So, since I can get under the sink.
- There's no excuse now.
He can do it all. [Judas laughing]
- I got to figure out the shape, just got to look at it.
You got to step back, you got to step back and look at it.
This is where you get to either have fun
or get really upset. [laughing]
[gentle music]
- Kristine: He served, he sacrificed,
he's healed through pottery.
[gentle string music]
- I'm still here.
I still have something to do; I'm still on this planet,
I got to do something to improve it.
So, and I think with art, that's the way I'm doing it.
- We're very blessed.
We have a great life because we've had support,
his attitude.
Life is good.
[gentle string music]