Harvard’s Ceramics Program Spring Show & Sale

This is the postcard for the annual Spring Show & Sale at the Harvard ceramics studio where I’ve been taking classes this winter and spring. At first, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be in the show, which is open to anyone who is a part of the studio. Quite frankly, I was more than intimidated of showing my work side-by-side with some of the best potters in the area. If you check out the website, you’ll see what I mean. But after talking with the director, who was very encouraging and assured me that there were all levels of skill in the show, I decided to take the plunge. Needless to say, I was very surprised when I saw that a photo of my ceramic pears was chosen as one of the images on the postcard. When I asked the director if many people came to show, she looked at me humorously, rolled her eyes and said, “Let’s just put it this way, we have a mailing list of over 10,000 people.” Yikes, I thought, I better get rolling – and throwing!

Besides the visual feast of some of the most interesting work around, one of the neat things about the show is that on opening night, free wine cups made by the participants are given away on a first-come, first-served basis. I can only imagine the varied and unique array of cups that will be on display and the line of people at the door before the show opens, anxious to rush in and have the first pick. I’ve been thinking about the 8 cups I’m required to make for the give-away and have a few ideas in the works that so far look like they might pan out. It always amazes me how being under pressure can cause the creative juices to flow. It’s one reason why I took the plunge – to push myself to a new level of personal accomplishment. And that, my friends, is a great feeling.