What has been your art “Journey” from Forest Grove owner and chef of Maggie’s Buns to showing artist?
When I owned Maggie’s Buns* I was inspired by color. It was so important to me to have the colors of my travels in my chairs, tables, and walls. I traveled a lot, 60 countries in 19 years. I had three criteria; sun, great food, and great graffiti (aka color). After selling the Bunhouse I was bored out of my mind—no conduit for color, community, or creativity.
On my birthday that year, I decided to tap into that love of color and creativity once again. I pulled out the broken-down potter’s wheel (Burt) I had in college 36 years prior and went to town. I would go to the gym and watch YouTube videos on pottery, and my Pinterest board was pottery on steroids, insane!! My first attempts at dipping were so dull I decided to brush all my pots. I bought a kiln (Calvin), the resulting pieces were stunning remembrances of my travels.
Do you have a favorite medium?
My pottery. Inspired by the colors of the world and my travels. With every brushstroke, I apply glazes to create depth, every brushstroke is a memory or an inspiration from my travels.
Do you have a preferred material or paint?
I love White Salmon clay; it gives me the depth of color absorption needed to achieve my vision.
How would you describe your artistic style?
Funky, Bohemian, and without boundaries. When I attempted to do commissions from clients who wanted streamlined colors and perfection, I was sad and bored. I am not a Pier 1 kinda gal.
What do you find to be the most common subject of your artwork, and why?
Travel! I live my life for travel, hence the name Passport to Color. We are intrepid travelers; we take chances and get ourselves in insane situations. The journeys we make change at every turn. There is absolutely nothing predictable about our trips. This is why I love pottery so much. When you paint the glazes on a piece you have some idea of the destination, but when you open the kiln the results are always a surprise, sometimes amazing, sometimes disappointing.
What is your typical artistic workday?
My studio is in my garage, so on days it is warm enough, I go there, crank up the tunes and create. Sometimes I have a vision; other times, I freehand it. Sometimes, I feel like knocking the sides a bit, smashing the top a bit, and seeing what develops.
What do you find most challenging about creating art?
I am on a constant learning curve. I find it challenging when I open the kiln to broken pieces. Then in retrospect, I realize that I took shortcuts. I am an impatient potter, and the challenge is to make myself wait, not break kiln protocol and ruin my pieces. I am pretty good at beating myself up when I do that.
How important is drawing and sketching to your artistic process?
I am not sure I have ever done that. I get a vision and I run with it the best I can. I find my best colors develop when I do not think about it and just paint.
What is your artistic process?
When I set out to throw, I aim to create a window that allows me to work without interruption. I do not like leaving things halfway done.
When I glaze, I have to feel it; my hubby sits in the garage with me and plays DJ. He plays music from all over the world; this allows the creative juices to flow. If I am bothered, I will not glaze as I never want any negativity in my art.
When I load Calvin or Eleanor with care, we have discussions, (nope I am not nuts, I am a potter), then plan the firings so there’ll be no temptation to open the kiln before it cools. I am not a patient potter.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start an art interest or career?
Follow your heart and your soul. Don’t set out to make money, or you will be disappointed. Create art that fills you up, boosts you, and makes you want to get up in the middle of the night and create. Do not be so critical of your art that it makes you not want to do it. I give a ton of art away because I know that even though it is not exactly as I envisioned the pieces, they will make someone’s day.
Footnote
* Dear art lovers, or not Forest-Grovians. Here in Forest Grove, ( a basball’s throw away from Valley Art) Maggie ran the outstanding bakery/bistro and caffee spot called Maggie’s Buns from 1997 to 2018 when she sold it. The pastries were divine, the entrées filling, original, and out of this world; bread was baked fresh daily.
