About a week ago, I drove down to Nelson County, Virginia with some friends. We went to visit Nan Rothwell, a fabulous potter who occupies a special place in my pottery world. About ten years ago, shortly after I had put together my own studio at home, I also made a point to start attending workshops whenever possible. The salt-glazing workshop I took with Nan changed my perspective on everything. I was so impressed by her studio. She operated on a larger scale than anything I had ever conceived of before. And then there was Nan the teacher, to this day the best teacher I've ever had. Though I was mostly happy to self-teach myself in the absence of good teachers, spending some weekends with Nan was of immeasurable value. Oh what a difference a good teacher makes! She's also hilarious, it's just fun to be around her. As I drove away, I was thinking "I want to be like Nan." And from then on, I had a role model for how it's done, and the type of person it takes to make it as a potter. When I became a teacher, I modeled myself after Nan as much as possible. To all of my former students who enjoyed working with me, you can also thank Nan.
In her fall newsletter, Nan announced that she was closing her countryside studio, and downsizing into an apartment in Charlottesville, Va. Semi-retiring, she is now going to teach classes at City Clay, and maintain a small studio. "That's weird," I thought, because this is exactly what I've been planning for myself down the road. Full-time pottery is very physical and I'm not sure I want to do it past age 60. Maybe 55. I think it's smart to think ahead to a downsized life, so I'll be ready to move on when my back and wrists start calling it quits. I would love to get back to teaching classes then, and maybe maintain a small studio. The only difference is that I won't be moving from a country house to a city apartment, my plan is to move from a city house to a beach apartment. But generally speaking, I will be following in her footsteps again.
So I had to visit her studio one last time while I had the chance, and some friends came along: Karen Arrington, Jonathan Gordy, Karen Morgenstern, and her brother Neil. We had a grand time, chatting and catching up, talking shop, and drooling over gorgeous pots. Her studio/classroom is set up as a showroom through the end of the year. She is selling pots, studio equipment and furniture. I bought several nice pots, and also a Thomas Stuart wheel! I've wanted one for so long. I consider them to be the best, something I planned to treat myself to "someday." I've been throwing on it for a week now, it is so sturdy and solid. I'm in love. My older Bailey wheel is now a dedicated trimming station, which is very convenient.
Here is the sake set I bought from Nan last week.
In her fall newsletter, Nan announced that she was closing her countryside studio, and downsizing into an apartment in Charlottesville, Va. Semi-retiring, she is now going to teach classes at City Clay, and maintain a small studio. "That's weird," I thought, because this is exactly what I've been planning for myself down the road. Full-time pottery is very physical and I'm not sure I want to do it past age 60. Maybe 55. I think it's smart to think ahead to a downsized life, so I'll be ready to move on when my back and wrists start calling it quits. I would love to get back to teaching classes then, and maybe maintain a small studio. The only difference is that I won't be moving from a country house to a city apartment, my plan is to move from a city house to a beach apartment. But generally speaking, I will be following in her footsteps again.
So I had to visit her studio one last time while I had the chance, and some friends came along: Karen Arrington, Jonathan Gordy, Karen Morgenstern, and her brother Neil. We had a grand time, chatting and catching up, talking shop, and drooling over gorgeous pots. Her studio/classroom is set up as a showroom through the end of the year. She is selling pots, studio equipment and furniture. I bought several nice pots, and also a Thomas Stuart wheel! I've wanted one for so long. I consider them to be the best, something I planned to treat myself to "someday." I've been throwing on it for a week now, it is so sturdy and solid. I'm in love. My older Bailey wheel is now a dedicated trimming station, which is very convenient.
Here is the sake set I bought from Nan last week.
And here is my new Thomas Stuart wheel. I was a little worried about whether I had room for it in the studio, but it turns out to be fairly compact, and it fit right in. Also, big huge thanks to Jonathan and Neil who carried it down the stairs into my basement. It is solid metal and really heavy!
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