Pottsability Pottery

Jewel Rubin, Potter and Instructor
Roswell, GA
E-Mail: Jewel

770-643-3966

Home

Pots for Sale

Oxidation

Raku

Reduction

Woodfire_Pots

Woodfire Workshop

Virtual Studio Tour

Visiting Israeli Potter

Pottery Classes

Please send me an e-mail message if you wish to be alerted when I add new pots or make updates to this site.

site last revised: 8/14/06

Personal

Artist's Statement: Things are not all so comprehensible and expressable as one would mostly have us believe; most events are inexpressible, taking place in a realm which no word has entered and more inexpressible than all else are works of art, mysterious existences, the life of which, while ours passes away, endures. Ranier Maria Rilke

MY STORY

My creative journey began, not with clay, but with acrylic paint.

My husband and I had just moved to Georgia, after having lived in California for over 10 years.

My first year in Georgia was a lesson in creating a life from NOTHING. No old friends, no familiar surroundings. I had resigned my 12-hour a day Paralegal job and was completely at loose ends.

I signed up for an acrylic painting class at a local community art school - mostly to meet new people and to do something fun. Possibly, I could also learn something new. I learned a lot from that class, but not what I expected. I discovered in myself the spirit of an artist. I also discovered that before you create art, you must gain skill and … practice, practice, practice! In addition, I discovered that I was not particularly good at expressing my Art via the medium of paint.

The next step on my journey was to sign up for a clay class. Once I got my hands on clay, I was completely hooked. The first lesson was to learn the "language" of clay via several handbuilding classes. Then, I decided I wanted to try something different, take on new challenges, so I signed up for the intimidating wheel-pottery class.

The potters wheel opened up a whole new world for me. The first class was a lesson in patience. I could not get a wad of clay centered no matter what. Instead of being tempted to quit, I became resolute - I WOULD master the wheel!  

In one of my classes, our instructor casually mentioned that he had heard about a professional potter retiring from the business, and who wanted to sell her entire studio - which included an electric kiln, a wheel, tools, glaze chemicals - and a 20 year library of books and Ceramics Monthly magazines. I visited the studio and bought the whole thing - lock, stock and barrel (so to speak).

In the meantime, I convinced the Ceramics Department head at my school to take me on as a Studio Lab Assistant (the closest I could come to an apprenticeship), and learned how to run a ceramics studio - how to fire an electric kiln, and how to mix glazes. I was on my way.

I read everything I can get my hands on about pottery - forms, firing methods, and glazes.   Playful experimentation and investigation keeps me endlessly fascinated with the craft.

 In Spring of 2001, I took a week-long woodfire workshop at the John C. Campbell Folk School.  I am very excited by the woodfire pots that came out of that firing.

One of my goals is to build my own woodfire kiln. Another goal is to learn how to do reduction firing (with salt and/or soda) in a gas-kiln.