Local potter sells wares

A beautiful stoneware dish, delicately painted by a local Bloomington artist, stood out in a sea of clay works Friday to an eager consumer who stood in line to buy it.\nSt. Paul's Methodist Church, located on Highway 46 Bypass, held an annual Pottery Show and Sale, hosted by the Local Clay Potter's Guild of the Bloomington and Nashville area. Local Clay holds this pottery sale once a year and is an excellent time to sell their work right before the holiday season. Their mission statement: a cooperative organization that promotes individual artistic growth, promotes the artistic standing of Local Clay as a whole and contributes to the growth of interest in Ceramic Arts in Indiana. The different styles of ceramic art varied with porcelain, stoneware and earthenware and had many choices of dinnerware and dishes as well. \nTena Wenta, one of the founding members of Local Clay said, "Local Clay Potter's Guild was founded seven years ago and has now grown to about 17 members."\nWenta started out as a dental hygienist before she started taking classes and workshops for pottery. She has studied in North Carolina before she went to University of Louisville and took classes at the School of Ceramics. Now, she does earthenware pottery which has a red base to it before it is glazed and put in the kiln to be fired. \n"We sponsor workships and bring in teachers to teach techniques so it is also educational for those interested in ceramic art," said Wenta.\nThe newest member of Local Clay, Susan Snyder, said, "The group has about four mandatory meetings a year. At the meetings, they organize programs and shows such as the on put on tonight."\nSnyder paints all forms of Italian Maiolica Ceramic and studied in Italy. She paints with an Italian form and attended a professional ceramic tradeschool. Italian Maiolica has geometric designs painted in bright different colors all over the piece.\n"Most of the potters are professionals who have their own studio and make their money and show their pieces either through private orders, or through various art fairs dispersed throughout the country, such as American Craft Council and Ohio Designers," Snyder said.\n"It takes about an hour to do four pieces when they are crafted on a wheel. After that, the pieces are glazed and placed in the kiln before they are painted," said Wenta. \nAs for the customers themselves, many people came from all over the Bloomington and Nashville area. Whether it be students or local residents, the pottery show was a success selling everything from ornaments to vases. Prices ranged from about $5 to $200 depending on the artist and the quality of the piece.\nDuane Busick, a professional videographer and TV producer came to the pottery sale with his wife. He has many friends in Local Clay and did a radio show on the potters to promote the sale at St. Mark's. \n"The combination of quantity, variety and quality is overwhelming," Busick said.\nBusick comes with his wife to this once a year show and buys various pieces of art. \n"My favorite is the earthenware style, because I think the way that it is glazed is different," Busick said.