My first encounter with pottery was in 1995 at my friend’s home. I fell in love with the clay medium when I saw her beautiful African violet vase. From there I took my first lesson which grew into my passion.
Fast forwarding the story, since then, I have attended
countless art shows, and my pieces have been displayed
in galleries and stores in Buffalo, NY, where I am an
elementary school teacher and raised my family.
My
work varies from traditional pieces thrown on the wheel
to hand-built pieces with organic shapes. My current
focus includes double-walled vases, pots with wax resist
patterns, and toroid (ring shape) vases along with
functional favorites such as teapots. Sometimes I get
lost in carving my pots away. My art is inspired by
earth tones and patterns in nature, and multicolored
brushstroke glazing is my signature technique, which
resembles watercolor paintings. I always strive for new
techniques in my creations. My newest addition is
textured pieces with sodium silicate applications.
I have been showing and selling pottery for about 20 years. Women’s Gifts Show is probably one of the first that I attended. I call Women’s Gifts “my home.” Shows are probably a good place to purchase my pieces but I have some work displayed and sold at local stores and gallery such as Thin Ice, Wild Things, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center gift shop. This holiday season, I have multiple shows at Firehouse Engine 36 (11/8-10), Kenan Holiday Show (11/22-24) and the Burchfield Holiday Gift & Art Show (12/6-8). — Junko McGee
