Dalleen
Peaceful Pond Studio
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Website
peacefulpondstudio.com
Email
peacefulpondstudio@gmail.com
Artist Portfolio
Mother Nature is the queen of inspiration, efficiency, and beauty. As with the movement of a plant in the wind to spread seeds or the muscles in motion of a frog’s legs to escape trouble, Mother Nature is the master designer and engineer. I strive to be like Mother Nature, developing my own glazes and designing creations with individual form and function, practical and efficient in shape, and beautiful and intriguing to see. My work uses clay’s willingness to be transformed, both in shape and texture, into something functional and interesting. As a child, I remember jumping in mud puddles, fascinated by the swirling mud beneath. Decades later, I find myself again playing in the mud with that child’s simple joy, but also with an experienced focus on form and function. I take my cues from Mother Nature’s examples of practicality, which I work to incorporate into each of my functional designs. Living with aesthetic objects that pay tribute to the natural world helps us take a breath and reconnect with the beauty that surrounds us.
Studio Description
All the predictable buckets of glazes and equipment surrounded by past creations that have taught me something.
What type of clay do you use?
Stoneware
What temperature do you fire to?
High fire
What is your primary forming method?
Merging wheel thrown with handbuilt
What is your favorite surface treatment?
Earthy patterns
Do you make any of your own tools?
Yes.
What one word would you use to describe your work?
Purposeful
What is your favorite thing about your studio?
My commute to get there, first right, take the stairs, and there it be!
What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without?
Kiln
What are your top three studio wishes?
More time, pug mill, bigger windows
What’s on your current reading list?
Cat fail on Facebook
How do you save money on materials and supplies?
Recycle clay and thrift store shopping
How do you recharge creatively?
Visit galleries while traveling in our RV.
Do you have any DIY tips for studio efficiency?
Mirror in front of my wheel
What challenges have you given yourself to overcome?
Learning to be consistent in shape
What did your first piece look like?
Tiny bowl that I thought was large until I returned to class the second day.
What ceramic superpower would you have and why?
Making cracks and flaws disappear
What area of skill do you most look to other artists to learn?
Consistency on the wheel
Who is your ceramic art mentor and why?
M at MS school of art. Her willingness to trouble shoot and speed in responding to my panicked cries for help.
What is on your studio playlist?
Eclectic...jazz, talk, county, old rock
Why do you create art?
It's an internal need.
Who is your favorite artist and what do you admire about that artist?
Marc Chagall
What is your best studio tip?
Recycle clay bucket.
If you could change one property of clay, what would it be?
Temperature...it would be warm to the touch.
