Classes at the Frederick Pottery School inspired a passion for pottery in Michael McIntyre( clockwise, from top left), who now works from his Leitersburg studio, FireRobin Farm; When working at the wheel, Allison likes to allow her imagination to roam and always asks herself“ what if” to create new designs; Bill van Gilder creates pottery“ with the hope and anticipation that the pots will invite use.”
School of Art in London, he opened his studio on South Mountain in 1979. Bill has taught pottery classes around the world and at the Frederick Pottery School, which he founded in 2000.
In his art he uses a gas kiln and a wood burning one, his Manabigama, which he designed. One of his Japanese pottery students named it. In Japanese“ mana” means teacher,“ bi” means beautiful and“ gama” is kiln. Each kiln gives his pottery different surfaces— gas is easier to control if he wants bright, colorful surfaces, while wood firing is more challenging but gives the pieces an organic surface. He fires the pottery to 2,350F making it durable for use. Bill’ s work is always functional, or, as he says,“ My pieces are useful within the modern kitchen or made to enliven the presentation of food on the table. In today’ s high-tech world, sipping coffee from a handmade cup as we sit at our computers is a reminder of things made by hand— connecting us to the natural world.”
From her first ceramic class at Hood College, Allison Severance knew she was a potter.“ My apprenticeship with Bill van Gilder was an important factor in my becoming a potter. I left that apprenticeship knowing so much more than I could have learned in school.” At Highfield Pottery in Cascade, she utilizes the ancient technique of wood firing and salt glazing for design and decoration of her pieces— mugs, bowls, honey pots,
32 March / April 2013 Hagerstown: The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond