Linda Belter
Pottery 51
Mint Hill, North Carolina
Email
lindabelter@rocketmail.com
Artist Statement
I am quite new to pottery. My background has always been in canvas art, acrylic paints and also folk art. I also belong to the CCM Guild which is great and offers many opportunities. I have fallen in love with ceramics.
Studio Description
I share a studio spot with 23 other potters at Pottery 51. All equipment is provided by the studio. I enjoy the closeness you can’t get with a home studio as well as advice and shared experiences.
What type of clay do you use?
Stoneware/ Mid Range
What temperature do you fire to?
2,100–2,200° F
What is your primary forming method?
Handbuild
What is your favorite surface treatment?
Hand tooling
Do you make any of your own tools?
No
What one word would you use to describe your work?
Eclectic
What is your favorite thing about your studio?
Sharing with other potters
What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without?
Variety of glazes
What are your top three studio wishes?
I have no wishes
What’s on your current reading list?
Nothing at this time
How do you save money on materials and supplies?
Bundling with other potters for reduced clay prices, also sharing glazes
How do you recharge creatively?
My mind is always going, my recharge is trying something that seems unattainable and succeeding with that project.
Do you have any DIY tips for studio efficiency?
No
What challenges have you given yourself to overcome?
I am very new to pottery and the challenge I am trying to conquer is glazing, if that is at all possible! Also thickness of the clay
What did you first piece look like?
A HOT MESS! The most awful bowl ever. Then the most awful egg plate
What ceramic superpower would you have and why?
Knowledge of glazes and their outcome, when used on various clay bodies
Who is your ceramic art mentor and why?
I don’t know enough potters to answer. Some of the potters at my studio are awfully good.
What is your studio playlist?
I enjoy silence
Why do you create art?
It is a must for my mental health. Everyone has a gift and art is my gift and it is what maintains my spirit and mind. I create for those that cannot.
What is your best studio tip?
I haven’t got one yet, I am still getting tips from those that have been creating far longer than I.
If you could change one property of clay, what would it be?
Drying time