Essex Art Center to Host First Annual Pottery Fair, Nov 23 & 24

November 6, 2019-Lawrence, MA — The Essex Art Center will be hosting its inaugural Pottery Fair from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday Nov. 24 at the Essex Art Center, 56 Island St Lawrence, MA.

The artisan sale will feature handcrafted pottery including functional and decorative ceramics by 15 regional artists. All the artisans either teach or take pottery classes offered at the Essex Art Center.

Marcia Misiorski, Ceramics Teacher, of the Essex Art Center said, “We created this event to showcase local potters and ceramic artists so they can display and sell their work. While some of the artists have been creating ceramic art for much of their lives, many have discovered it later in life.”

The featured artists include:

• Susannah Abbot of Andover has been working with clay for eight years with a focus on pottery that can be used daily. She is inspired by the natural world and the wonderful community of potters she has met at the Essex Art Center and around New England.
• Dina Collier of Methuen earned a degree in Accounting but found her inner artist 20 years ago while taking art classes at EAC. Her technique and inspiration comes from all sources of media and nature and her skill in pottery has progressed to the point where she is now a teacher at the art center. She believes that there is an artist in everyone whether they find it as a child, adolescent or adult.
• Jennifer Cullen-Struhl of Andover is currently exploring using geometric shapes to elevate objects that can be used every day. Her functional pieces exhibit her architectural and contemporary sculptural influences.
• Paulette Dawson of Andover has been a potter for 5 years building on her experience as a graphic designer. She is inspired by her garden and creates relief designs on mugs, bowls and trays. Print making inspires her carving techniques.
• Larry Elardo of Groveland has worked in clay for over 40 years and has participated in juried shows such as the New Hampshire league of Craftsman, the Sunapee Art Festival, and the Paradise Marlborough/Northampton Art festivals. He continues to explore and develop new approaches to his work. Check out his garden bells and garden arches on his website mstreetpotters.com.
• Amy Ferguson of North Andover has been making pottery for approximately 20 years. What started as a hobby has evolved into a passion over time. She loves to explore the effects of glaze combinations as she creates items that are intended to be used and appreciated on a daily basis.
• Lynne Kasparian of Andover has been creating pottery for 5 years. She uses hand building techniques to form decorative and functional pieces. Her work is influenced by her interest in printmaking, pattern, color, and surface design.
• Jennifer Kenney of Wilmington has returned to creating pottery after a 19-year break following being inspired by art at the Paradise Art Show. Her favorite vessels to create are elegant fruit bowls with cutouts, carving, and nature influences. Her work can be found at wilmingtonclayworks.com.
• Tena Millard of Haverhill has been a potter for 8 years after being inspired by a potter at Sturbridge Village. Tena uses influences from nature to create both thrown and handbuilt functional and decorative ware. Tena has used the process of working in clay to bring inner peace.
• Marcia Misiorski of Boxford has more than 40 years of experience. Influenced by her acupuncture studies, she is inspired by Asian classical shapes and organic shapes found in the woods to create functional pottery, decorative wall plaques, and jewelry. She has participated in juried shows and has had photos published in Ceramics Monthly.
• Elizabeth Nadeau of North Andover has used her experience in painting to create unique plates, platters and trays. Her handbuilt pieces are a canvas for her nature inspired artwork.
• Janet Koenig Picinich of Lowell is a lifelong artist who added the medium of clay to her repertoire three years ago. She creates sculptures, glass wall art and architectural structures.
• Dayle Smith of Bradford discovered ceramic art as a creative outlet after retirement. Her mobiles, wall hangings, trays and other functional pieces featuring whimsical sea creatures are inspired by the sights around her Provincetown summer getaway.
###lithiamdesigns.com and fsgallery.com/artists/anne-thiam.
• Peter Wood of Andover has more than 40 years teaching and producing pottery. He is an inspiration in how he continues to grow his technical knowledge of ceramics and his meticulous attention to detail is evident throughout his work.

This event is free and open to the public.

Essex Art Center has a fully equipped pottery studio with two kilns, pottery wheels, a slab roller, extruder, glaze spray booth, and many hand-building and wheel throwing tools. Ceramics classes for youth and adults include hand-building and wheel throwing, in addition to specialized workshops such as lace textured plates and covered boxes. Classes are offered year round at affordable prices and open studio time is available for currently enrolled adult students.

Essex Art Center is a non-profit art organization with a mission to inspire and nurture the diverse artistic potential of The Greater Lawrence Community through classroom exploration and gallery exhibitions - making the creation and enjoyment of art accessible to all. For more information, call 978-685-2343 or check out the website https://www.essexartcenter.org/.