As a child, I liked working with my hands... sewing, knitting, cooking, science experiments... all kinds of creative things and projects. Later, society taught me to value other things and I aimed my energies toward a career which required many years of focused attention, leaving little time for other pursuits... sound familiar?
In mid-life, I realized that I had lost a part of myself and I wanted it back. My husband, Jim, and I moved back to North Carolina from Atlanta, bought a farm and set out on an expanded kind of life. One of those additions was to build a pottery and a gallery. I had always admired and coveted pots I saw, especially those from North Carolina. The pottery styles here were richer, earthier and more appealing to me than what I experienced in Atlanta where I first began to do pottery.
From 2001-2005, I traveled throughout the world as a volunteer physician providing anesthesia for children in developing countries such as Burma, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Nepal, and Tibet who had mostly birth defects or injuries. In those magical places I was able to appreciate so many different people & cultures, different value systems, an abundance of varied artistic styles, philosophies, historical traditions along with new shapes and creative uses that I have unconsciously and consciously amalgamated and fused into my own pottery style.
While my pots are varied and influenced from a variety of sources, they do seem to have one common characteristic: they fulfill a purpose functionally, aesthetically and possibly emotionally. When I throw, I imagine where and how each piece will “live” and how it will fit into the life of another person. I wants my pieces to be used and enjoyed freely and I want each piece to add in some special way to the lives of those who purchase them as they have to mine in their creation.
I have attended extended workshops at Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, and the Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts. She has studied under Ah Leon, Judith Duff, Brad Tucker, Cynthia Bringle, Kristin Kieffer, Malcolm Davis, Sylvie Granatelli and Ellen Shankin.
When I am not throwing pottery, I travel, sew, cook, farm, knit, and most importantly, am Mom to our beloved Sheltie Beau (we work together as a therapy dog team). I cherish most my joyous and abundant life with Jim — my soulmate, husband and lifelong companion.
Directions to studio: https://verapottery.com/visit-secondwind-farm/
This user has not added any information to their profile yet.