How do artists make art?
The answer is as unique as the art and artist. And on the Washington County Open Studios
tour on October 17th and 18th, you get a peek behind the
scenes into the art making process.
Every artist is opening up their studio to you, showing you their
materials, inspirations and demonstrating what they do and how they create art.
Ana, when you begin your work, what
inspires you?
“My cats, ancient art forms, and the
life cycle of the salmon as well as how colors play against each other. I make
both functional and decorative work. I just finished a dinnerware set for
a niece and am working on a series of fantastic birds.”
Ana, do you have a weird, different
material or technique you use and does that inspire you?
“I enjoy altering thrown forms by
stamping and darting them, as well as cutting apart and rearranging enclosed
forms to create sculptures. Inspiration has come from cave images, petroglyphs,
and designs employed by the ancient Pueblo Indians, as well as the life cycle
of the salmon. These images are drawn and painted over a glazed surface.”
How did you find your way to art,
Ana?
“I've always loved clay and working
with my hands. I used art, especially clay as a middle school teacher at
the daVinci Arts Middle School in Portland. My first wheel was a Soldner kick
wheel, which I carted from Colorado to the northwest. At one point we had
to build a fence around my wheel as goats were slurping up the
clay! When I retired from teaching the clay became my art, as the students
are the art in any classroom.“
When people come to your studio,
Ana, what will they see you doing …what part of your process?
“I may be trimming a 'green' pot,
designing a piece of glazed pottery, sculpting a bird head or drawing a design
on a nearly finished vessel. I'd be happy to explain whatever I'm doing
at the time.”
Ana, what is unique and
inspiring about your studio?
“My studio has a deck with a sliding
glass door which until recently has given me a view of my garden, however, I
just purchased an upload gas kiln which now sits on a palette in front of my
deck! This will allow me to be totally self-sufficient ! Besides my
new kiln, I have an electric potter's wheel, two utility sinks, 2 work tables,
and an electric kiln in the garage to bisque my work.”
See Ana’s art and get inspired during the 2015 Washington
County Open Studios tour October 17 and 18 from 11am to 5pm. Get a FREE tour map and information online at
www.washcoart.org
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