The pottery I make is the pottery I like to live with and use – colorful functional ware that will be cooked in, served from, eaten in, held. I set my table with a variety of vibrant pieces, store my leftovers in multi-glazed casseroles. (Tupperware – bah!), ripen pears on the counter in cheery bowls …. you get the picture.
I don’t think of myself as an artist but I do love the creative process of forming something composed of both the earth’s elements and the potter’s “chi.” I like shapes that invite caressing, surfaces that ask to be touched, playfulness that comes from incising and carving, and the occasional frou-frou. I make my own glazes and enjoy the serendipity of discovering how they interact. All pieces are safe for food, microwave, dishwasher, and oven.
A wise woman recommended finding work in retirement that constantly challenged and offered indicia of improvement; notably she didn’t say “success.” At this point in my life I am constantly challenged, inspired, excited, animated, and not infrequently, frustrated by clay. Which, I suppose, was her point.
Selected pieces can be seen at www.flickr.com/claydiva and on Facebook (Norma Messing Pottery) https://www.facebook.com/Norma-Messing-Pottery-348454418617295
My work is available at the Potters’ Guild shows and my home studio in Short Hills.
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973.379.4424