KATHERINE AND MONICA CHAPLIN                THE ARTISTS at the MARBLE RIM GALLERY

Clary Rose Farm Pottery

Monica:   My love of pottery started in a rural, small-town high school in North West Washington State. It only takes one amazing teacher to inspire a student for the rest of their lives. I had several. One was a Ceramics teacher, and my current passion is due to her openness to student’s creativity and exuberance. I also worked with Shawn Kinney at College of the Siskiyous in Weed, who encouraged me to take the next step to becoming a potter. I'm currently a student at Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, seeking a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Ceramics with a minor in Fiber. My work has been inspired by the craft of Maria Matinez and South West pottery, but also by the colors and forms of Alphonse Mucha’s Art Nouveau masterpieces. My work is ever-evolving, but I abide by the rule of a potter; If you can’t utlize it, it had better be the most fantastic sculpture you've ever made. If you connect with one of my pieces, please hold it in your hands, carefully.

Katherine:   I also began my love of ceramics in a small town high school art class. Mr. Exstrom was an excellent teacher who inspired many people towards a career in ceramics. I went on to get a minor in ceramics at San Diego State University. Most of my working life was spent as a technical designer for a major aircraft manufacturer, but upon moving to the Scoyy Valley in 2010, I was able to return to ceramics.I am currently interested in creatng hand built kitchen ceramics in the Yellow Ware tradition popular at the turn of the last century. I am also working with mosaic and tile design and occasionally offer classes in tile/mosaic design and beginning ceramics.My daughter, Monica, and I are both interested in building with clay and so had the opportunity to create a ceramic studio made of straw bale and cob (similar to adobe). It is an amazing thing to be able to create clay pieces while in a clay building. We share the studio space and coordinate glazing and firing our pieces, but otherwise work independently.