A Potte r's Vacation By Holly McKeen

Every year, a bit of time away from the
studio provides the opportunity for lifelong
learning and new inspirations.

This year’s trip started with a few days
of hanging out with friend John Tilton
( ) in Alachua, Fla.
John and Anne have lived in a meditation
community for the past 35 years, and it was
both interesting and inspiring not only to
hang out in John’s studio, but to also attend
the temple and hear Mickey Singer (author
of The Untethered Soul) speak on several
occasions during my visit. When asked “How
have your years of meditation affected your
work?” John responds: “I'm able to apply
more energy to each piece...I'm quieter, so
my pots have become more quiet over the
years. Our meditation community has had
a much greater effect than just meditation
alone, because our lives here revolve around
the meditation practice. So the pots revolve
around the meditation practice, and that’s
what they end up being about: a quiet
stillness...I'm looking for pots that have lots
of spirit...I try to hide my hand. I'm really
interested in the idea of ‘no trace, in life and
in my work; the idea that there hasn't been
anybody there, it just happened.”

Although John and I live very different
lifestyles, in some ways, we are kindred spirits.
One is our shared desire to keep a clean and

tidy studio space.

John Tilton's studio: | doubt there is a
cleaner studio anywhere!

We had great fun, and I learned more
on looking deeper into the pots, the
process, and myself while at Tilton’s.

I joined John and Anne for an artist's
talk he gave at the Harn Museum at the
University of Florida, where John had
several pieces in an exhibit. Ac the talk,
we met Bill Schaaf, an amazing artist
and friend of John's, who invited us to
breakfast and a tour of his studio the
following day en route to Tampa. Bill
had an incredible bronze Tantra Gurl on
exhibit at the Harn and the following
morning, during our visit, my heart
was pounding as he showed us around
his studio and collection, including
paintings, sculptures, bronzes and wood
collaborations, The entire studio was mind-
blowing and like Tantra Gurl, the rest of Bill’s
work left me speechless (an accomplishment,
some might say). See

for more.

Then it was off to opening night of the
Frozen in Fire all crystalline exhibit near
Tampa. I was pleased to have two of my
pieces juried into this National Council on
Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)

Conference concurrent exhibit, and enjoyed

LEFT: Marsha Silverman doing what she
does best. BELOW: Marsha's lovely pieces.
Beautiful forms fresh off the wheel, even
before they are trimmed.

the jurors’ talk, with John Tilton, Ginny
Conrow and Diane Creber. Old friends from
previous crystalline events re-connected and

off we headed to the conference in Tampa. The
exhibits surrounding NCECA are always fun
to explore and this year did not disappoint.
With a few new pieces in my satchel, I said
farewell and headed to Miami, where Marsha

Continued on Page 9,
Laughing, talking, throwing

CERAMICS WORKSHOP

Greek island paradise Skopelos

Sept. 9 - 24, 2011

PR eer n 0.0) TSA OQ TT

of BRITISH
COLUMBIA
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Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - June / July 2011 8