Patricia Saling
I love playing with clay. Introduced to ceramics in 2005 once I retired from a 30 year science career, I’m quite new to this medium, as I am to all of the arts. The tactile nature of working with clay – forming a useful object from a lump of mud – enthralled me at first touch, and continues to intrigue and charm me.
My approach to the visual world has certainly changed with my interest in ceramics. I am now fascinated with shape, texture, patterns, and color. I’ve become a keen observer of nature’s forms, carrying a sketchbook everywhere. While still unsatisfied with my pieces, I have gained enough confidence to experiment with shape and texture, and it is exciting. Honestly, 5+ decades along and I’ve just discovered that the right side of my brain functions! I’m striving to define my “style” and, while not there yet, I’m coming to grips with some of the elements: clean lines, classic shapes altered in some subtle way, and color. My over-riding concern for any design element is function – how will the piece work, how will it feel in the hand, how will it look on the table? It is an absolute joy to make an object that might find its way onto someone’s table, a piece that could bring some small delight, a piece that might assist in making a home. I can’t believe how lucky I am.
