Three Days and Counting

The Year is 2010 and Margaret Synan-Russell is the President of the OPA and Brenda Scott is the Chair of Ceramic Showcase.

And the Best of Show 2010 is Jim Koudelka.

Best of Show 2010
Jim Koudelka

"My work is ultimately a reflection of my creative response to materials and processes, images and ideas.

I have an interest and involvement with a vessel format that is influenced by architectural, mechanical and industrial images.  The pieces I create display the actual or implied function of containers or devices extracted from primitive to contemporary times.  My intent is to interpret and display the essence and qualities of these images through my art work and create a dialogue to the viewer through it.

Process and materials also play an important role in the development of my work.  I allow the ceramic, glass and or metal materials and their processes to maintain a voice in the choices of design, physical construction, surfacing and final viewing of the pieces."

In 2010, the OPA family experienced the loss of one of our founding members, Dave Enna.  Dave served as the President of OPA in 1983 as well as serving as the first Chair of Ceramic Showcase.  Dave committed many years to the OPA Board and served on many committees for Ceramic Showcase.

This was written about Dave in the Sandy Post : 

“Not many people have the courage to think they can make a living with their hands,” said Sue Enna. “He wanted to encourage that.” ... Enna might have been the typical “hippie-dippie” artist of his day return- ing from military service in during the Vietnam War, growing a scraggly beard and sitting in a dirt-floored Gresham garage to make things out of clay. “His father said, ‘That’s nice, but how will you make a living?’” remembers his wife. But the Ennas did make a living and a name for themselves as potters. In the mid-70s they moved from Gresham to Brightwood, not to dropout, but to be community members. Enna served 13 years on the Sandy High and Welches school district board, now the Oregon Trail School District. He was a founding member and president for two years of the Oregon Potters Association and for 13 years was an active member of the Gresham-Ebetsu Sister City Associa- tion. The latter cause took the Ennas to Japan 11 times, where they were partnered with the family of an Ebetsu pot- ter. “It (Japan) was our adopted home,” Sue Enna said. “Two weeks before Dave died the family came from Japan to see him.”

In the last few days of Dave's life, his family was able to bring the wedding ceremony of their son to the hospi- tal. He very much enjoyed being a part of the wedding and also the recent visit of the Kanai family from Hokkaido.

This year we will honor the memory of Dave as well as all of our OPA members that are no longer with us, in a special Memorial Tribute adjacent to the Lobby Display. 

The 30th Anniversary Ceramic Showcase opens its doors on Friday, May 4 at 10am.  

Come join the celebration!