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Personally, I have not met Sally, but a couple of my friends know
her and have admired her pottery for some time. She has even had the
good fortune of being featured on of WAFB's Channel 9's Toomsey's
Travels. Also, this year, she was chosen to be one of LPB's featured
artists for their Art and Travel Auction. From Denham Springs to
Baton Rouge and beyond, Sally has a gift and in her own words she
shares the start of this fascinating ride with clay:
Here's her story:
 Q: Sally,
please share some background on your life as an artist (potter) and
what motivates you today:
A: I started taking pottery classes about five years before I
retired from teaching. My very dear friend, Joan Besselman, was
recovering from cancer and wanted to take lessons, but not alone.
So, we took lessons together. After two years of pottery classes we
decided to branch out on our own. Sadly, she passed away from
complications due to her cancer before our first Broadmoor craft
show.
Yet, my motivation comes from her. She is the one that first got me
interested in pottery. I also take a lot of inspiration from the
fact that I live in Louisiana (fleur de lis & Mardi Gras) and have a
love of nature.
Q: What attracted you to working with clay and how did you begin?
What are some other things you do as an artist-paint, sketch,
photography?
A: As a child I always loved to play in the mud,--making mud pies
and anything else I could think of creating. As I grew up I still
enjoyed art, but there were more important things to do. So, my love
of art got placed on the back burner, so to say.
After taking art in high school, I went on to major in Fine Arts at
Ohio State for two years. In my sophomore year I got married and
left school to become an Air Force wife.
My artistic outlet as a married woman became baking and doing art
projects with my children. Now, in my later years, I enjoy
photography, gardening, and pottery.
Q: Please share about your journey as an artist in terms of
development. And, how does one find out about your creations?
A: Developing into an artist has taken some time, but it has also
come somewhat naturally. The beginning of my journey was the pottery
class with my friend. The fact that I was a math & science teacher
also influenced a lot of my work. My love of small animals and
plants can be seen in many of my pieces.
People began to notice my work at the Broadmoor craft shows. Since
those shows, I have been asked to participate in other shows. Some
of the other places that my work can been seen include: Louisiana
Pottery at the Cajun Village in Sorrento, LSU's Museum of Art's gift
shop, the gift shop at Houmas House Plantation, and the list keeps
going.
Another way I like to showcase my work is by donating to various
causes and organizations. For instance, I like giving to the United
Way, Alzheimer's Foundation, the Opera Guild in Knoxville,
Tennessee, as well as the Children's Choir in Westerville, Ohio.
There are many local church fundraisers I give to as well.
Future plans are to continue to give donations to causes I believe
in and to grow my business step by step. Having what was once just a
hobby and having it develop into a job is sort of scary.
Q. Sally, please share some general personal background about
yourself---it helps others view your entire self; not just your
artistic side:
A: I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and had an immediate love of making
things. As I mentioned, I got married while attending Ohio State
University.
I spent the next twenty-three years traveling around Europe and the
United States and raising my children. In 1995, I went through a
divorce. My son also died at the age of twenty-five. In an effort to
deal with my grief I immersed myself into gardening and photography.
Working outside seemed to put me at peace and help me cope with my
loss. I did remarry as well.
Now retired from teaching I find myself with two lovely daughters,
three granddaughters, two grandsons, and a 6th grandchild due in
July. I also now have a hobby that I'm passionate about---POTTERY!
My husband and I live in Gonzales with my two studio cats, Thibodaux
and Boudreaux. I enjoy traveling. My husband and I have been to
Alaska, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, and since I
lived in Europe for 8 years, I'd love to take my husband there to
see the sights.
Q: Last, but not least, do you have any mentors today and who really
inspired you over the years?
A: Mr. McMeekin was my first high school art teacher and mentor. He
was the first person to show me that I could be artistic. As I grew
older, I started appreciating the likes of Dali, Picasso, O'Keefe,
and Kempt. When I moved to Louisiana, I discovered Newcomb Pottery
and fell in love. Still today, Joan Besselman, remains a vital force
that helped me find my passion in life. I am forever grateful for
her encouraging me to take pottery classes.
Q. Do you have a favorite piece you created or a few and why are
they your favorites?
A: At the time, my favorite piece is a very large serving platter.
It is inspired by a bird feeder that I bought some years ago. It is
a challenging platter in the sense that I have to be very careful
not to drop it during construction and glazing.
Q. What else would you like our readers to know?
A: I have no website at the present time. To be honest it kind of
scares me. I am very busy now and this is supposed to be a hobby.
I am also currently showcasing my work at Artists Inside Circa 1857
(in Circa 1857 located on Government Street in Mid City ). I am
extremely flattered to be showcasing my pottery there thanks to
Nancy Jean Tuten who asked if I would give it a try.
Please feel free to send me an e-mail at
glzdnconfusd@eatel.net
or call 225-715-1841.
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