More from the PMA Craft Show

I am being selective. I did not take pictures of every ceramic artist's work at the craft show. This post shows the rest of those I did photograph. I chose to photograph these because they interested me the most, even though there was much to be admired in other artists' work. These are personal choices.

bowl by Elisabeth Maurland

Yes, it is a hare, see the long ears?

Elisabeth confirmed that it was as these are the creatures to be found in her native Norway. Some of her work was filled with many individually painted animals repeated over the form.  But I liked her elongated teapots with the exaggerated handle echoing the long spout the best.
www.elisabethmaurland.com

saucer and teapot by Elisabeth Maurland

Odd Inq, Art Potter Tile Design, of Portland, ME is the name on Jonathan White's business card. I had to look up his name in the catalogue, suspecting it was not Odd Inq. Jonathan is interested in industrial relics as sculptural forms, but also some organic forms like seed pods and skulls. Some of these forms were made into some very unconventional lamps. His wall tiles were handsomely framed landscapes mostly, some very clearly of Maine locations. Though he was rather suspicious of my camera work, I think it is just the yankee in him protecting his privacy, and his name. www.oddinq.com

Paula Shalan has a studio in West Stockbridge, Mass. Paula's burnished, terra sig bowls express her love of pattern, line and texture. Very solid forms with deliberate and austere decoration. She was very kind, as were many of the artists I spoke with, and asked me about my own work. 

bowls by Paula Shalan

vase forms by Ruta Sipalyte

www.paulashalan.com
















Ruta was one of many Lithuanians invited, Lithuania being the guest nation at this year's craft show. She told me the museum paid for all the packing and shipping of the guest craftsmen's work. I guess they provided the old plastic parson's tables as well, but the work looked good all the same. This was some of her more colorful work with low fire glazes. www.sipalyte.blogspot.com


This was my first visit to the PMA Craft Show. It was stimulating as I remember the art teacher's conventions were for me when I was a public school art teacher. Although these crafts people were at a higher level of experience and skill than I, I felt a bond with them. I'll bet that they sometimes botch pieces, have blowups in the kiln and glazes that turn out shockingly ugly, or at some time they did. Yet they have achieved  acceptance in a very exclusive crafts show. I am sure it was after much hard work and is well deserved. Cheers to all of you!