Peggy Davo
My Many Colors Art Studio
Morristown, New Jersey
peggydavo
Peggy Davo
Artist Statement
The clay is my canvas and teaching art makes me a better artist.
Studio Description
Daylight basement with exterior entrance. Historic Morristown, National Historic Park, Fort Nonsense
What type of clay do you use?
Porcelain
What temperature do you fire to?
Cone 6
What is your primary forming method?
Wheel, slab, and coil
What is your favorite surface treatment?
Color
Do you make any of your own tools?
I use many repurposed objects with interesting shapes to impress into the clay.
What one word would you use to describe your work?
Fine
What is your favorite thing about your studio?
Solitude
What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without?
Aside from the various tools and equipment, it's my ability and skills to use my imagination to create in clay.
What are your top three studio wishes?
Uncluttered, clean, and organized
How do you save money on materials and supplies?
No waste, a standard glaze palette, as well as supplies/tools that can be used for various purposes.
How do you recharge creatively?
Observation in design and nature motivates me.
Do you have any DIY tips for studio efficiency?
My wheel is a mini studio and all the mess is confined there.
What challenges have you given yourself to overcome?
I allow myself to be perfectly imperfect.
What did your first piece look like?
In high school, I did a brown-and-white coil/slab pot and my first thrown bowls were pretty plain, yet I have a nice teapot too.
What ceramic superpower would you have and why?
For clay to always be perfectly soft.
What area of skill do you most look to other artists to learn?
Skills that help to overcome obstacles and to promote myself.
Who is your ceramic art mentor and why?
Bill Wickey—engineer turned pottery guru—helped me to learn the science/chemistry by practice.
What is on your studio playlist?
Popular music 80's to present including Madonna, Elton John, and Taylor Swift
Why do you create art?
I enjoy the constant challenge and realization of my art as well as the freedom of choices and path that it lends me.
Who is your favorite artist and what do you admire about that artist?
Depends on what day you ask, I tend to enjoy impressionist landscapes and abstract compositions as well as designs in architecture and craft.
What is your best studio tip?
Practice regularly.
If you could change one property of clay, what would it be?
The fragile nature of ceramics.
