For Julie Mondro of Greene, the most nerve-wracking part of the pottery process for her, and for most potters, is when it comes to firing a piece in the kiln. She notes that in her case, one reason for that is because she often substitutes some of the ingredients she is used to working with.
“I would describe working with clay as attempting to create something worthwhile out of a lifetime of mistakes,” said Mondro. “I am most connected to my body when I am throwing a piece on the wheel — every moment of contact with the clay is both a recollection of something I have done wrong in the past and an opportunity to improve upon it in the present through intention and presence.”
Mondro, who moved to Greene from New York City in 2021 and will be on the Maine Pottery Tour for the first time this year, said the most rewarding part of creating a piece is seeing the small successes bursting through her efforts and the realizations of accidental textures interacting with a glaze or a handle shape balancing with a mug’s form. The inspiration and joy from those experiences keep her coming back for more, she said.
“The process of working with clay engages your sense of touch, sound, vision, and even smell. As makers of vessels that will be used at the table, we are constantly thinking about the food that will be served in our pots or the morning rituals of enjoying coffee or tea and how our work becomes a part of those daily experiences,” Mondro said.
Also in her first year on the tour is Traci Witham of Greener Fields Pottery in the Oxford County town of Waterford. Witham said she pursues pottery in part for the tactile experience it offers. The smooth clay water slurry brings back memories of playing in the mud as a kid, she said, mentioning that she has always loved working with her hands.
“I also love the formation, from start to finish — just because it starts out as (one thing), doesn’t mean that’s what it will end as,” Witham said. “Then there’s the anticipation, like Christmas morning, when you open the kiln to see whether you were on the naughty or nice list.”
While some moments as a potter are an unexpected challenge — such as when her geese make a beeline to the kiln to check out their reflections and the chickens laying eggs on the work table — the good ones are a big part of Witham’s attraction to pottery and its varied processes.
“I had a customer come to my table and she spotted a bowl I had just finished. She started crying,” said Witham. “I didn’t even know what to say other than she had to have that bowl. That’s where it belonged.”
Lori Watts of Fine Mess Pottery in Augusta, who leads the Maine Pottery Tour effort, said that for most potters, the craft is at its most satisfying when something useful comes out of the kiln at the end of the day. The potter’s wheel can be a steep learning curve, she said, but once you understand it, it becomes relaxing, meditative and soothing.
“I joke that I became a potter for all the dopamine moments!” said Watts. There’s a moment when it comes off the wheel and you know it’s good; another when you add the handle or the surface decoration; another after you glaze it. The firing itself is a long, exciting moment when you feel like a wizard, in control of the element flame. And then there’s the moment when you open the kiln door and see the results of all your hard work.”
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