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!

21 Weeks and Counting

In 1984, Ceramic Showcase was in its second year and it was continuing to grow.  The community of potters known as the Oregon Potters Association had grown to 150 members by 1984.

Richard Rowland-
Best in Show 1984

In 1984 Best in Show was awarded to Richard Rowland.  I contacted Richard several weeks ago and asked if he would provide me with a little bit about himself and what inspires him to do what he does.  This is what Richard has to say on the subject -

"During the late 1970's I was naturally uncovering ways to create ceramics using organic materials like seaweed, ferns, dead birds, salt, integrating form, color and context-always finding unique relationships that created certain resonance and open atmosphere.  The Anagama process helped me continue developing the atmosphere that provided intimacy and a genuine way to connect community.  The community was made up of passionate and diverse people.  The rare model of diversity continues to grow.

In the late 1990's I started teaching at Clatsop Community College in Astoria, Oregon.  I was given the opportunity to go back to school to study, make art and received my MFA from University of Tasmania in 2005.  After studying abroad, I returned to my home in Astoria.  I started the Bowl Project with the Clatsop County Women's Resource Center and the Tillamook Women's Resource Center and I have continued making bowls for them for an annual fundraiser.  The women help collect and cut the wood, fire the kiln and take part in every part of the project.  With other potters and students we are focused on quality, making for example, 1000 bowls and picking the best 500 to give to the Women's Resource Center project.  The rest of the bowls and recycled into the hammermill and crushed up for grog to add to the new clay body for use the next year.  I have dug tons of local clay for this years bowl project.

I received the Oregon Governors Art Award in 2005, which was awarded for my work in the community.  I continue to work in projects related to utility and ritual that can benefit their needs.  Currently I am helping develop a Plain Tree model of holistic health care at Columbia Memorial Hospital.  This process includes art, both for the patients in the new Cancer Center and the rest of the hospital.

In the unfolding and integration of community and art, my vision is to match the character of the material process to the unique character of the community.  It is a wonder that I have been given my life's responsibility as an artist in such a way that is reciprocal in nature.  This accountability has encouraged me to build a second-generation Anagama kiln for the future."