Ceramic Ruby
Slipper
2009
Convention
Centerpiece
Made, painted and donated by Suzanne
I started painting in oil
in
1975 when the HOOT Chapter was formed.
Since that time I have painted in all mediums, and my current favorite
is watercolor. I teach four classes a week in my home studio in
ceramics and decorative painting. Students have choices to
create in glazes, oil, acrylic, colored pencil or watercolor. The
projects can be ceramic, wood, fabric, tin or canvas. In
my spare time, I teach special projects at a storefront several times a
year.
In
2009 I served as HOOT President
and continue in that position in
2010. I have been elected to the positions of Vice President,
Trustee, Recording Secretary, and have also held several appointed
offices on the Board. I am active in our conventions and have
held many positions including Convention Chair.
As
a young child, I admired the
artistic talent of my cousin
Judith. She was older than I, and could draw anything that
she saw. I did not have the creative ability that she had,
but took all art classes available to me in school.
I
put my interest in art aside when I
married and had our three
children. Then, around 1972, a neighbor asked me to join her
at a ceramics class in New Albany, Ohio. From the start, I
was hooked and began to attend classes regularly. I met
Thelma Hulet in Gahanna when our sons were in Cub Scouts
together. Thelma had a ceramic shop at that time and I took
classes from her.
A
few years later another neighbor
told me about another art form
called “tole”. We attended a class
together and I was hooked again. I learned that I could use
my ceramic pieces in my tole painting projects. The two
fields compliment each other by stressing brush techniques, color
theory, pattern balance, etc. Most of my students today
switch back and forth between ceramics and tole painting.
I
love being a teacher. It is a
pleasure to see my students
develop their skills from beginner to accomplished artist. Many have
become teachers themselves. I am as excited about
ceramics and decorative painting today, as I was when I took my first
classes so many years ago.
