Stoneware mini-vase with cobalt screening, 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Beverly Carter lives and works in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

My first drawing assignment in college was to render a 24" x 36" patch of grass. We spent the remainder of the semester analyzing that single drawing and making overlays of the elements that worked together to create visual interest – line weight, direction, texture, and value. In the process, we also learned about differentiation of shape, depth of field, and focal points. I never looked at things the same way again. In retrospect, I recognize that this exercise provided the inspiration for the techniques that I apply in my pottery today. Just like the patch of grass drawing, I use line, texture, and color in my work to create layers that I can enhance with different glazing techniques and multiple firings. Through constant experimentation with all of these elements, I continue to discover new ways to create results – all the while knowing that I've only scratched the surface of possibilities. It is the limitlessness of these explorations that make working in clay both exciting and fulfilling.