When my son, Jay, received a Gualala Arts scholarship for ceramics, his beautiful bowls stimulated my interest in ceramics. When I retired from teaching, I purchased a wheel and my love for pottery began. I took beginning classes with Paul Stine of Manchester and spent many good years with Kaye Like of Brandybuck Studios in Point Arena. I enjoyed classes at Mendocino Art Center and a summer class at Sierra Nevada College. I have shown my work at the Dolphin Gallery in Gualala in 2008, 2011, and 2014.
My passion is making functional pieces that are used in everyday life: the morning coffee in a favorite cup, lunch with soup in a special bowl, or dinner served on lovely plates. To me it is miraculous to sit down to a lump of clay on the spinning wheel and form that cup, bowl, plate, or even a tall vase. Glazing has always been a challenge for me. Mixing my glazes from recipes of the pros and learning how the fire of the kiln or the shape of the piece affects the color or flow of these glazes, keeps me inspired to improve my skills. I often use seashells and fish designs on my pieces because I am fortunate enough to live near our beautiful ocean.
bren70phil@gmail.com
