Arlene Goldberg | Pottery

In my clay work, I like to contrast expressionistic hand building of personal ideas with wheel-thrown formed functional pieces. Influences by potters past are: Southwest Pueblo potters and Chinese pottery as seen on a 1997 ceramic art tour of the country. The natural world is a prime influence. I enjoy making ‘functional art’. During the time of the Chinese Emperors two types of pottery were made concurrently – everyday functional ware and the fanciful containers that were buried with the Emperor. I imagine my ware to be in the latter category.

The animals and plants seen from my studio windows supply the ideas for the ‘storypots’ I have made over the years. These storypots are covered jars that can hold soup to nuts. This aspect appeases the functional part of my nature while opening up the opportunity to sculpt animals and plants as handles, feet or relief work on the sides of the pots.

My current interest involves painting abstractly onto rolled out clay plates with the glazes I make from powdered minerals. The firing may or may not be a partner in the creation of colors and patters. There lies the excitement.