Gwen Childs

Wheel-thrown functional pottery has been and continues to be my strength, but currently my interests are moving towards sculptural, voluptuous shapes with a functional voice. Clay is my medium because it invites one to feel the work. I like to carve –  carving takes an essentially flat surface and makes it three-dimensional. I love developing glazes that are interesting both to the eye and to the touch. Glazes that enhance the carved lines are my specialty. I am interested in the visual form and also the feel of the pot.  I have developed glazes that are pleasant to hold as well as to see. It pleases me to see someone pick up one of my pots to feel the weight of it or to feel the curve of a sculpture. I work in stoneware and porcelain (a pure form of stoneware) clays.  As the name implies, stoneware is vitrified in the firing, turning the clay back into “stone”, through firing at 2200 degrees F. The work is hard, waterproof and durable. My life long involvement with clay began with a yearlong apprenticeship focusing on functional pottery. I have had a home studio in California, Maryland and Oregon and have shared my love of clay through teaching in community programs in Iowa, Maryland, and Oregon.

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Contact:

Email  | Phone: (541) 441-417