Nina Harrison, Sanding Woman Pottery

Micaceous Pottery


by Nina

by Nina

by Nina

by Nina

by Nina

by Nina

by Nina

Artist Statement
Most people write about their studies in clay, the people they studied with. My path has been rather unorthodox. I am a research psychologist by graduate training and a feasibility analyst by profession. Most of my prior artistic endeavors had been in designing and developing gardens.

My husband, as an avocation, took up pottery around 2001, making fantastic bowls: he's a wheel man. His younger daughter began throwing porcelain on the wheel (she's makes incredibly beautiful small perfect pots). My oldest daughter moved back to Atlanta and took up the wheel. All three poked and prodded me about clay. At a family dinner one Sunday (and after they had plied me with wine), I agreed to take a clay class, but, as a hand builder, not in competition with three wheel folks.

The journey, very frustrating initially, began in Atlanta and grew into a passion here in Santa Fe. While I have worked previously in porcelain, I discovered micaceous clay, the medium in which I do most of my work. I have had the great fortune to work with Felipe Ortega, one of the micaceous masters, and continue to do so on a regular basis, while trying to step out of the purely traditional forms.

Although the majority of my work is in micaceous, I explore sculpture and create mixed media dioramas which tend to be of rather controversial subject matter. Working with clay and learning about its properties are ongoing processes for me I find enormous calm while having my hands in working in clay. I am a firm believer that there is a dance one does with the clay: one needs to "listen" to the clay rather than try to impose one's will on it.


Copyright © 2002-2012 Baca Street Pottery

Updated 05 April 2012
Contact Baca Street Pottery at bacastreetpottery@yahoo.com