: Jeri - Viewing Profile

I returned to throwing pottery and working with stoneware clays in June 2008, after being away from it for about 37 years. I'm still pretty new at it, and still taking classes and reading as much as I can. I find that working with the clay is a very healthy addiction and form of therapy for me.

My sister introduced me to the world of pottery one summer, when I was 8 and I was hooked! We went to Idyllwild, Ca to visit a friend of hers who just happened to be working in a commune studio (yep, a commune, my sister was quite the hippy in her day) and sat me down at the wheel with some clay to keep me busy so they could talk. I took art classes in middle school just so I could work with the clay.

Until 2008, I kept up with the world of ceramics with low fire cast ware, and even went on to take some teacher certification classes. I found casting and finishing becoming boring and had a difficult time finding new and exciting things to do differently. I did sell finished items, and found that the most popular were southwestern and dragons in our area.

My husband watched me become discouraged and losing interest with casting/finishing. He would see me looking at the wheels, and slab rollers on display at the supplier I use each time I'd go to pick up my order. After watching me 'drool' over them for years, he decided to surprise me with a wheel, signed me up for classes again. I've had my own small kiln since 1985, which has traveled the world with us.

I am much happier now that I've returned to pottery! I simply love the magic of working with the clay, and yes, for me, it is magic, from start to finish, from a lump of clay to opening the kiln after a glaze firing... every time (even the disappointments that I learn from).