The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.

Ceramics Monthly: What excites you most about the field of ceramics? 

Dwayne Sackey: I love the clay community and all the people I have connected with over the years. The meditative self-reflection in the studio followed by the gatherings and communal firings keep my life in balance.

1 Mini mug, Laguna B-mix porcelaneous stoneware, shino glaze liner, layered glazes, wood-soda fired.

CM: What strategies have you developed to handle challenges you face, including setbacks in the studio or difficulties along the path to becoming an artist?

DS: Over the years, I have had to work around pain in my wrist. I have worked to throw in 30-minute stretches followed by 5-minute breaks, which keeps me in touch with my body and allows me to move more naturally throughout the day. Time spent hiking through wilderness areas or floating in the ocean allows room for reflection and provides focus to enter a new making cycle.

2 Tea bowl, porcelain, shino liner glaze, wood fired in an anagama.

CM: What role does color play in your work? 

DS: I love color—I especially love the less-predictable nature of atmosphere firings as each firing opens my mind to new shades and colors on my work. I work with different clays, slips, and glazes to achieve ballpark surface colors and the collaboration with fire decides the end result. Layering of glazes and strategic placement in the kiln allows me to achieve my desired palette.

Learn more at www.dwaynesackey.com

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