Artist Statement:
My name is Pat Gresham and I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Scott, for 40 years. I have a great family, Zachary and his wife, Caroline, who are the parents of my adorable grandchildren, Henry and Hazel, and my son, Taylor, who lives in NC. Most of my life has been spent taking care of my family and later, my parents as they were aging. I found myself struggling in my mid-life after both of my parents had passed away and my children were grown and out of the house. My husband traveled with his job and I spent a lot of time alone, not sure what to do with myself. I was in my early 50s and in a pretty deep depression. My doctor encouraged me to find something to do with my hands; painting, pottery, etc. I had taken some painting classes earlier in life and thought I would try my hand at pottery. I loved my class and my teacher and it became very therapeutic for me as I was dealing with so many life changes.
There’s something very spiritual about taking a piece of clay and making it into something beautiful and useful. The clay has to be soft and workable and the potter knows how much pressure to put on the clay to get it centered on the wheel before the process begins. If the clay isn’t soft and workable and the potter isn’t patient in centering the clay the whole process is a frustrating struggle (very similar to life!) The creation is useless and fragile until it goes through the first fire which removes the impurities from the clay and gives it strength. There’s glazing to add beauty and strength, re-firing, and the result is a beautiful vessel. Each piece is unique and impossible to duplicate and is a prize creation of the potter.
Getting involved with pottery and adding a little studio in my home has been so rewarding and life affirming and keeps me centered in my own life. It has taught me many lessons and opened doors for me to share my pottery with others. I am thankful that I listened and found something creative to do with my time. When I’m not playing in my studio, I love spending time with my family, especially my adorable Henry and Hazel. My husband and I love to travel and we both enjoy photography. We love visiting the National and State Parks and plan to see as many as we can before we get too old to travel. If I had my way, we would be seeing the country in a little Airstream camper but for right now, I’m enjoying every aspect of my life and appreciate every day to the fullest!
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