Work Samples
Susan Isbister
To be fully appreciated, I believe that pottery must be handled. Our hands help us interpret and appreciate a hand-made vessel, not only through its shape and weight but also by feeling the flow of glaze over the pot – be it a creamy smooth, dusty matt, or highly textured finish. My personal challenge in making functional pottery is to temp the viewer into picking up my pots and appreciating them through the senses of both sight and touch.
While I am still searching for my own personal style, experimenting with different shapes and decorative techniques, I prefer an emphasis on form rather than decoration and like simple vessels with a finely-crafted look. Simplicity in design lets us appreciate the shape of a well-crafted piece and compliments rather than overpowers the food it contains. I feel that this style lends a quiet sophistication to a meal.
In this day of fast food, I would like my pottery to be so enticing that it encourages others to slow down and take the time to become more involved in the everyday preparation and presentation of simple (or not so simple!) homemade meals.
