OPA Showcase

Just came back from the Oregon Potters' Showcase in Portland.  This is one of the biggest and best shows of claywork in the country.  They are celebrating their 30th year of presenting one of the best organized shows in the country.

It was nice to see and chat with my friends in Oregon who had work in this show. And I finally met Ellen Currans. She has always been working in the background and never out on the floor, but this year she was at her booth and we had a good chat. I own a couple of pieces of her work and love them.

I didn't know it until the show that Ellen was one of the original innovators who organized the first shows. Check out the OPA website to read more.

Ellen makes beautiful functional pieces and she is a master of glaze as well.












Here's a few examples from the member's show gallery.  (I usually don't photograph work in the individual booths unless I get the owner's permission.)

This photo is to remind me to return to the indigo lined work I did with my cat plates. It looks very ease, but believe me, it's tough to do this and do it so well as this example.

Note to self:  Look for innovative handle applications.

This is a LAMP. It is stunning in real life. Wish I could have seen it illuminated.

Book pages of clay. You wanted to pick it up and thumb through the pages.

The elements here are all 3-D. A novel way to present clay.

Beautifully carved - a very large platter.

This was also a large piece.  I must give this technique a try some day.

I selected these pieces because of the innovation and originality of work; reminders of techniques to experiment with.  Although I seem to be seeing more sculptural work as a trend, I also had the impression that brighter, more ornate work is also happening.

I can't say I am a fan of the bright colored grotesque sculpture that seems to be emerging in a lot of the shows. Looking at the posted NCECA gallery shots, these type of sculptures seem to be prevalent. 

There were more iridescent glazes it seemed and some fine crystal growing going on.  I'm a sucker for white crystalline pieces.

Once again, I added more bowls to my growing collection. I was conscious of the pull of oriental-inspired work that speaks to my own taste.