Page 4A
THE BEACON
January 2019
Individuality and Artistic Expression Bind a Community
Continued from page 1A
such depth of sadness that I
have to put it in the work.”
She continues, “Painting is
not relaxing, it’s a struggle. It’s
as exciting as can be, it’s one
of the best things that can be,
but it is when you dig into it,
when you’re thoughtful and go
further - you’ve put in all the
frustration and time to work,
to reach and push through all
the stuff, and then you can get
to the zone.”
Mr. Kaiser, the owner of
a metal studio, says, “I’m a
creative because I’ve got to - I
don’t have a choice. It is a
disease, it really, really is. I
have to create, and my girl-
friend or other people would
be like, ‘Can’t you just leave
it alone?’ Nope, can’t - got to
make it mine. I can do this, I
can do that. What I do might
not be their taste; that’s fine,
it’s subjective, but I have to
create - I don’t have a choice.
So that’s what I get out of
it, that’s the other end of the
spectrum, that’s what makes
me happy. To win the lottery
and all I had to do was create
stuff - oh please let me live a
thousand years!”
Through classes and at
workshops, in their studios
and at shows, these women
and men share their expertise
and inspire others, but few
are comfortable with promot-
ing themselves and marketing
their art. Bruce Canfield, the
owner of a pottery shop, has
over thirty years of experience
as a clay artist. He says, “The
artistic process can be very ex-
pensive. When you are buying
your equipment to produce it,
your labor making it - for what
Local artists’ work can be enjoyed at galleries in Olden-
burg, Aurora, and a Dillsboro gallery pictured here.
Anthropologic evidence suggests that looms were being
used to make clothing 27,000 years ago.
An artist’s inspiration might come from a collection of paint
chips, a tin box of pastels - or a rainbow of yarn.
we sell things, it’s just pennies
on the dollar; literally pen-
nies on the dollar. One of my
carved bowls may take me fif-
teen, sixteen hours to make, so
if I get paid a dollar an hour,
there you go. People don’t
realize that it’s the equipment
that you have to have, the time
that you put into it, the time
it’s taken to develop your tal-
ent, the time to market it, sell
it, so on and so forth.”
He continues, “And that’s
what I’m not interested in
Photos by Susan Ray
doing. I don’t want to take the
fun out of making the piece.
The marketing is just really
unappealing to me. I’ll do the
glazing and the firing, but it’s
hard to pack it up, set prices
and apply for shows and get
your portfolio ready. It’s not an
easy life if you’re earning your
living as an artist.
“Shows are hard to do - it’s
like carrying boulders around,
being stoneware, so I usually
Like generations of potters
before him, Bruce Canfield
creates ergonomic pieces
that can be used every day.
(Photo Courtesy of Bruce
Canfield)
have to have help, and it’s hard
to impose upon people to help
you set up and tear it down.
Shows are incredibly exhaust-
ing, and I guess if you’ve
made a lot of money it’s worth
it, but if you haven’t done
very well because of weather
or something like that, you’ve
done all this work and it’s kind
of disappointing - but that
Chaz Kaiser works with
copper, bronze and steel
to create nature inspired
fountains, repoussé, ham-
mered tabletops, and these
cattails.
comes with it.”
Barb Gallagher is a fiber
artist, educator, and owner of
a weaving shop. She travels to
shows and teaches classes on
weaving throughout the Mid-
west. As a member of the
Continued on page 5A
THE BEACON - Bringing our Community and Businesses Together.