Every piece of Artwork I crate is a unique reflection of a passion for clay Introduced to me by a talented professor; with her  her persistence in seeing the spark she has and passing on her love for the clay that she said is running through her veins.  Passing it to those who appreciated and recognized who had a real talent.  

When I stepped into her classroom i had just learned that my mortality had been determined.  I needed an easy class to get me through one semester to process.  This was it...easy.  Not only was in not easy.. it would teach me the tools I needed to copy and accept and transcend my crisis.
Jane, a graduate of Alfred University took her class very seriously.  I didn't open a single box of wet clay.  I opened a 50 lb bag of silica, Red art, Hawthorn, and EPK and I put about 3" of water in a big blue rotating machine.  And I mask on mouth made the clay body I had help formulating through chemical empirical formula.  What.. I didn't sign up for chemistry. 
Not only did we make out own, we were to test its shrinkage, it;s vitrification and it's plasticity for adjustment.  The we wheel throwers were made to learn how to center and throw and only were to make cylinders and cut then in half vertically until we passed her inspection.. For me that was about 500 lbs for the next three days. 

Of course there were a few people with enough incite to notice that that this was not just a way to thin her class but a way to ignite the same spark that she has for the clay.  if she say that. she would accomplish what she as there for.  To pass to her students her  love and knowledge for it, the techniques of glaze testing, formulation, mistake correction, body fitting, and  I could talk for days about reduction at cone 10. She would see when to let go when she would see a tiny bit of our own unique style emerging.

 I know I was a test to her passion to leave a legacy many times.  Especially after cracking a full kiln firing at 500 degrees when it was also filled with her commissioned show pieces for that weekend.  Or maybe the time I decided to get adventurous with a clay body knot knowing I'd learn the definition of a defloculant the next time she spoke to me.

Its the subtle pushes that make such a huge impact on the rest of my life and my own need to share life through each little detail in my own work.  Not all things in life or pots can be resolved completely.  The rim must fit the foot but sometimes the damn spout just drips after it pours.  But not every unresolved piece lands purposely on pieces on the floor.  I thought you deserved to know and thank you.......Jane.