A Chat With Karen French, Potter.

In this blog series of artist chats, I’m hoping to help our artists and visitors get to know each other better.  So, let’s imagine we’re all sitting around a table with a cup coffee or tea listening to Karen share her art journey.

Karen, What got you interested in art? 

"When my children were babies, we had just moved to Corvallis, I was looking for what I call a sanity class.  Getting out and being with adults and having fun.  When looking through the college course book I stumbled upon the clay classes.  I had taken several different art classes, but this one I took to right from the beginning."

Why do you love what you do?

"Clay is such a tactile medium.  I love getting my hands in the clay and the feeling of moving it around and then learning to control the movement."

What’s your favorite part of your process?

"That first pull on a new project.  The feeling of smooth clay moving through my hands, and then having it starting to take shape."

What weird and different material or technique do you use?

"I do horsehair raku. This is the process of using horse tail and mane hairs as the reduction medium."

 

When people come to your studio, what will they see you doing?

"I will be throwing different forms.  They can ask me to make something in particular.  I will also be trimming pots and getting them ready for the bisque fire."

You can see more of Karen’s work and visit her studio during Washington County Open Studios tour October 18-19^th from 11am to 5pm.