I took my first pottery class when I was 26 in a basement studio at Pendle Hill, a Quaker Study Center in Pennsylvania. My teacher, a somewhat crochety elderly Canadian would stop by my kick wheel and ask me if I was making another ash tray. But I didn’t care because I had fallen in love with the magic of the wheel, the way centering drew you in and the feeling of opening or raising up the sides. I wasn’t good at centering but I didn’t care because I loved the feel of the clay in my hands.

35 years later I found Potter’s Place, took classes and became a member 18 years ago.

Unfortunately I am still not very good at centering but in my first class with Henriette I fell in love with handbuilding and have never looked back. The clay is such a forgiving medium and the possibilities of shape, texture and color are endless.

What I make is often personal. I started by using my grandmother’s doilies and still use them in many of the plates, vases, and ornaments I make. I have made ornaments and dishes for special events like wedding and baby showers for family members. I have always loved quilts and have often incorporated quilt designs in my pots. My whole life I have loved words so on my plates I have included quotes from poems and songs, Irish wisdom and children’s literature as well as from my mother who had some great lines. The clay gives me a new way to embody what I love the most!

Working with clay has taught me the joy of exploring my own creative process and imagination. It has reminded me of the importance of the patience and persistence required to improve my skills. There is always so much left to learn! Clay has reminded me that very little is permanent until a fierce fire has burned a thing into its solid form. And I have learned the incredible value of being in a community of generous artists whose energy continues to inspire me every day.

Play. Forgiving. Magic.

I believe in the value of working with our hands to create whether it's pottery, gardening, painting or some other creative effort. Our hands let our energy and spirit emerge in a way that can be comforting and satisfying. They allow our imaginations to take shape before our eyes. It's amazing to see how an idea in your head takes physical form.

I love when I make a finished product that pleases me. It can still feel like a sweet surprise and a little bit of magic.

For me the challenge is to be patient with the clay, not hurry things along too quickly. Clay has a memory which needs to be respected and sometimes I just want to require it to do things it doesn't want to do. I have learned the clay will resist with cracks or slumps or some other unintended consequences.

I am working on being more careful, taking it a bit slower, respecting the medium. But I have not conquered this challenge by a long shot. Still the clay provides good practice for the patience I need everywhere in my life. And sometimes its even forgives my haste and still allows something lovely to emerge from the kiln.

The piece I am most proud of is the statue of the woman with the outstretched arms modelled after a work by Mary Frank. It captures the feeling of an important time in my life.