By Zirrus VanDevere, for the Redoubt Reporter
“Cut Edge Platter” by Libby Berezin.
The Kenai Potters Guild has been active and presenting exhibits of members’ work at the Kenai Fine Arts Center for decades and decades. The names of the players change, but the organization persists, and one can always find something either entertaining, exceptional or beautifully useful at the exhibits.
This is also true in the sales space that is available year-round in the middle gallery. Additionally, the pottery studio is located in the building, and any community member can join. There are numerous wheels and a functional space for creations of nearly any kind. Classes and workshops are offered throughout the year.
Plant shapes and their motifs occupy a good part of the current presentation, and textural musings abound. The technical quality of the work is evident throughout, and I have noticed that the prices are quite low when compared with pottery from other areas of the country.
“Green Jar” by Becky Holloway.
Of particular interest to me are the items that have been carved, like Tammy Kraxberger’s platter, Donna Steele’s vessel with lid, and Charlie LaForge’s covered pots. It is not only that they are carved, but that the carving has created something tactile and inviting above and beyond the wonders of glazing.
Some really appealing glaze work, though, can be seen in Becky Holloway’s “Green Jar,” Donna Steele’s “Green-Grey Platter,” Carol Walkeiwicz’s “Spirit Fish Platter,” and many of Kirsten Edwards’ works. I especially enjoy her “Wave Dish,” a platter with fanciful handles and irregular but sort of nonconfrontational edges. It would do well both displayed on a wall or as commonware for entertaining guests. Handmade pottery can create real feelings of warmth and vitality in the home, and we have some creative and experienced potters in our midst.
Laura Faeo has the only nonutilitarian objects in the show. Besides her well-known animal creations she has included a piece called “Raven Star Trek.” It is an installation as well as a wall hanging, and is comprised of many pieces. In it, ravens fly through the sky, dodging stars. In one of the raven’s beaks a star is gently captured.
Vintage posters from past pottery exhibits add a nice touch to the walls.
"Mom's Doily" by Beverly Dean
An area of the exhibit has a grouping of work by an artist and educator that many potters and others in the community treasure the life and memory of. Ann C. Wilson taught art at Kenai Middle and Soldotna High schools and Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus. She moved to Portland, Ore., a few years back to get her master’s degree in art therapy.
The works hail from various private collections, and anyone who knew Wilson can feel her spirit flow from the sensual lines and comfortable folds of the vessels. She died of lymphoma June 9. There will be a celebration of her life at Art Works in Soldotna at 4 p.m. Aug. 6 — bring food and come open to creating art, creating music and spending time with people you care about, just as Annie always did.
The exhibit will be up through the end of July.
Zirrus VanDevere is a local mixed-media artist and owns Art Works gallery in Soldotna. She has bachelor’s degrees in fine arts and education.
