In my early twenties, I lived in a small town in Germany and saw beautiful pottery in the art gallery down at the lake. Next thing, I went to their studio, up the hill and fell in love with their whole operation. The property had been in the family for generations of potters and when the current artist was digging in his yard for clay, he would sometimes find shards that looked interesting. This way, he started re-creating old patterns and forms, but also worked on unique modern pieces. Needless to say, I became a good customer.
When I immigrated to the United States and discovered the ceramic department at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA, I realized that this was a way I could get my hands into clay. Instead of becoming an apprentice at a potter’s place in Germany, I just could attend hands-on classes. Over the years, I have enjoyed being exposed to a variety of teachers and a large number of fellow students from whom I have also learned a lot. It’s nice if I don’t have to make all the mistakes myself!
In my early years as a potter, I dreamed of being able to throw large vases, but as my abilities grew, this desire waned. I find myself much more drawn to smaller pieces that have character – things that I can identify with one glance as being one of mine. I also find that I like to experiment with hand-built pieces.
The days I spent at Quyle Kilns redecorating the show room, taking care of customers and also working on clay certainly helped me to identify what I like and dislike. While spending generally one day a week at Quyle Kilns for a couple of years, I also discovered that I like decorating. Something I had never expected and which I am further developing. At this time, I feel happy knowing that many a visitor to the Calaveras Big Trees State Park is leaving it with one of my cups commemorating the now fallen Pioneer Cabin Tree.
Who would have thought that it would be so easy for me to leave behind my background of banking and my whole career working with money – in banks, in a number of manufacturing companies, and as a Senior Management Analyst for one of the chiefs of the Santa Clara Valley Water District? I have happily abandoned some of the accuracy my jobs required and allowed creativity and fun to replace it. It is such a pleasure to meet people who not only admire my creations, but are willing to part with some of their money, and then, come back for more!
During the current shelter-in-place order because of the Corona virus, I have been contemplating some experiences I have had with ceramic works. It is amazing what your mind does, when the pace around you slows down and you have time to reminiscence. I remembered visiting a museum village south of Munich, Germany, where I watched a young woman throwing cups – they all looked identical, every little bit of the prepared ball of clay was used, and I was very impressed. A few weeks ago, when I was doing some tedious clean-up in my studio, I thought about that visit. But now, my reaction has completely changed – I felt that the work of this young woman was the equivalent of working on a conveyor belt for a car manufacturer. You do always the same thing…. As a result, some of the bowls I threw recently, have an uneven rim. Yes, it might make it more difficult to stack them, but on the other hand, people who insist on this kind of “precision” can either buy their bowls at the Pottery Barn or at another place, where the ceramic ware is not thrown or hand built, but jiggered (using templates to duplicate pieces) or slip cast, using plaster molds. I want my ceramic pieces to show that they are handmade and individual and unique. I really enjoy it, when someone looks at one of my creations, picks it up, holds it, and then decides they cannot live without it. Yes, my analyst side would argue that I have worked not even for minimum wage, but this is more than compensated for by the meditative process I have experienced and the joy, when the new owner happily carries away their piece.
When I immigrated to the United States and discovered the ceramic department at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA, I realized that this was a way I could get my hands into clay. Instead of becoming an apprentice at a potter’s place in Germany, I just could attend hands-on classes. Over the years, I have enjoyed being exposed to a variety of teachers and a large number of fellow students from whom I have also learned a lot. It’s nice if I don’t have to make all the mistakes myself!
In my early years as a potter, I dreamed of being able to throw large vases, but as my abilities grew, this desire waned. I find myself much more drawn to smaller pieces that have character – things that I can identify with one glance as being one of mine. I also find that I like to experiment with hand-built pieces.
The days I spent at Quyle Kilns redecorating the show room, taking care of customers and also working on clay certainly helped me to identify what I like and dislike. While spending generally one day a week at Quyle Kilns for a couple of years, I also discovered that I like decorating. Something I had never expected and which I am further developing. At this time, I feel happy knowing that many a visitor to the Calaveras Big Trees State Park is leaving it with one of my cups commemorating the now fallen Pioneer Cabin Tree.
Who would have thought that it would be so easy for me to leave behind my background of banking and my whole career working with money – in banks, in a number of manufacturing companies, and as a Senior Management Analyst for one of the chiefs of the Santa Clara Valley Water District? I have happily abandoned some of the accuracy my jobs required and allowed creativity and fun to replace it. It is such a pleasure to meet people who not only admire my creations, but are willing to part with some of their money, and then, come back for more!
During the current shelter-in-place order because of the Corona virus, I have been contemplating some experiences I have had with ceramic works. It is amazing what your mind does, when the pace around you slows down and you have time to reminiscence. I remembered visiting a museum village south of Munich, Germany, where I watched a young woman throwing cups – they all looked identical, every little bit of the prepared ball of clay was used, and I was very impressed. A few weeks ago, when I was doing some tedious clean-up in my studio, I thought about that visit. But now, my reaction has completely changed – I felt that the work of this young woman was the equivalent of working on a conveyor belt for a car manufacturer. You do always the same thing…. As a result, some of the bowls I threw recently, have an uneven rim. Yes, it might make it more difficult to stack them, but on the other hand, people who insist on this kind of “precision” can either buy their bowls at the Pottery Barn or at another place, where the ceramic ware is not thrown or hand built, but jiggered (using templates to duplicate pieces) or slip cast, using plaster molds. I want my ceramic pieces to show that they are handmade and individual and unique. I really enjoy it, when someone looks at one of my creations, picks it up, holds it, and then decides they cannot live without it. Yes, my analyst side would argue that I have worked not even for minimum wage, but this is more than compensated for by the meditative process I have experienced and the joy, when the new owner happily carries away their piece.
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