by RENEE PATRICK Cascade A&E Editor
The 10th annual Wildfire pottery showcase will feature over 25 Central Oregon ceramic artists on November 1-2 at Highland Elementary School in Bend. The showcase sponsor, the Clay Guild of The Cascades, holds their event each year to display member’s work and to help support ongoing educational opportunities for the guild.
“We are excited that we have been successful for 10 years,” commented Clay Guild Member Janet Matson, “Every year people [love to see] what our members are making right here in Central Oregon.”
The show and sale are artist run, offer free admission and a variety of demonstrations and children’s activities to help the public find their own connection with clay. To help celebrate a decade of Wildfire, raffle drawings for $25 towards purchases will take place every other hour during the weekend.
“We want to be able to share our art with our community and provide a venue for our members to show their work,” Matson explained. “This is our one chance a year to have a professional, high class show in our community.”
The nonprofit member organization is made up of over 40 local clay artists who meet monthly to not only connect, but participate in educational activities and workshops. “We recently hosted Ron Roy, a Toronto, Canada clay artist, who talked about how to calculate the chemistry of glaze making,” she said.
Every year guild artists cast votes for the Best in Show award in both functional and sculptural pottery. The 2013 winners were Chad Fox for the functional category and Nancy Dasen in the sculptural category.
Dasen’s graphic design background has been influential in her ceramic and printmaking endeavors. “I love the feel and the smell of clay, and am always amazed at the possibilities contained in a ball of dirt,” she explained.
Her style has been described as whimsical, and she achieves the effect with different textures and color. “They are a fine counterpoint to one another, and give me an opportunity to vary my thought processes,” she explained. “I have been blessed to find a growing community of artists in Bend, for support, education and the exchange of ideas. Wildfire has been a great place to show my work to the community; I am always pleased to actually meet my buyers, and hear what my work means to them.”
Chad Fox has close to 20 years experience working with clay and cofounded Cindercone Clay Center in Bend. He enjoys throwing, hand building, sculpting, and combining wood and steel with clay. “My current work is mostly functional I strive to mix beauty with functionality making your everyday experiences more enjoyable,” he said.
“The Wildfire Ceramic Showcase is my favorite show of the year. It brings out the best clay artists in Central Oregon and beyond It’s great to be a part of this community not only is there an exchange of ideas but also a common love for the medium of clay.”
2014 Wildfire Pottery Showcase
Saturday November 1, 10am – 5pm
Sunday November 2nd, 10am – 4pm
Free admission and parking
Highland Elementary School (Old Kenwood School)
701 NW Newport Ave., Bend
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