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Liz Hamann Pottery

For over 30 years, I’ve had my hands in clay.  My journey was self-directed with an avid desire to learn the required skills to create the pots I love.  The feel of the clay and the quiet, centered moments of forming on the wheel are magical.

I make functional pottery designed for everyday use and special occasions – minimalist and elegant in form, colorful and pleasing to the touch.

My process:  All my pieces are handmade, thrown on a wheel.  I use several kinds of clay; porcelain, white or brown stoneware, smooth black clay and gritty black clay.  All are fired in an electric kiln at cone 6.  The functional pieces are mostly made of porcelain and tend to be rounded.  The glazes usually have a satin finish, smooth to the touch and in a variety of colors.  The black clays are used for larger pieces or sculptural forms.

Wood firing has an intensive firing cycle - 2 days to load the kiln, a team of 8 participants, stoking the fire around the clock for 4 – 6 days, and then 7 days to cool down.  At 2300 degrees F, wood ash and flames randomly lick the surface of the pots creating unique surfaces.  Every pot is different and can never be duplicated.  It’s a dynamic, fiery experience. 

“Clay (pottery) represents ‘timelessness’.  It’s old and modern, and if you don’t break it, it will last for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.” – Anna Lerinder 

Paul Hamann Photography

I began taking black and white images in 1968 exploring various camera formats and printing techniques.  Working first with a 35mm camera, I began taking pictures with an eye to details and abstractions that captured the essence of what I saw.  I soon began to explore the greater depth and range of large format negatives, first working with a 5x7 camera and later 4x5, 8x10 and 8x20 cameras.  The technical requirements of shooting with the larger format cameras as well as the resulting clarity and definition of the images proved perfectly suited to the detail and precision of my creative vision.

Over 20 years ago, I switched to the digital process.  It offered spontaneity, mobility and color as well as black and white, and represented new areas for exploration.