From Trees to Pottery

It's a really challenging day outside: foggy and rainy, although the temperature is mild and whispers of Spring. I'm about to go down to our basement studio, but as I looked out the office window, I saw our trees standing in the mist and fog. I began to think about how my mind views trees. Why do my 'faux bois' pottery pieces often depict 'tree people'?

As a child (yes, it WAS a long time ago, but only I can say that!), I remember spending a lot of time outdoors. I loved being outside, and some of my favorite times were when my Mom would take me to the local Forest Preserve. We would walk the paths, and check out the trees. She knew the species of the trees. That fascinated me. She must have been the first to tell me how the Native Americans acknowledged the 'soul' of trees, and the idea fired my young imagination.

And, somewhere in the childhood time frame, I read, re-read, and re-re-read 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'. In fact, now that I think on this, there were the often frightening fairy tales of the brothers Grimm. The notion that trees at night in the mass are scary beings intrigued me no end.

When I was older, I would be bumming around the old Chicago Public Library (in those days, I was allowed to travel to Downtown Chicago alone, using public transportation, at the age of 13. Imagine!). I was taking out books on Native American beliefs. It was said in our family that my Father's Grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian, which I though was extremely cool. I wanted to embrace that culture.

Then, with the advent of husband, children, work...life became wonderfully busy. Yet, I still remember with much love the HUGE maple tree in front of our house in Maywood where all the neighborhood children would gather, and many would climb into its sturdy branches. I remember how, in Bartlett, I fought the removal of the old Black Walnut trees along the easement in front of our home there...and won. And it was in Bartlett, through our walks through Pratt Wayne Woods, that the love of trees rebloomed. Rich, my husband, took many photos of some of the great trees in those woods, and I wrote many a poem about them, also.

Then came Seneca, and our pottery classes. The trees sprang easily from thrown stoneware cylinders, and soon, the ideas for tree spirits and tree people were popping into my head. The tree people transitioned easily from my head to the clay. And now you know...that's why she does it!

Have a great day and enjoy the new photos!