Polly Plankenhorn

Let me introduce you to my world and love for the art of pottery.  After six years of taking several classes, I decided to go for my dream and purchase my kiln and start selling my pottery in art shows.  This will be my fifth year on the Art Show circuit.  To know that a piece of myself and what I have created moved someone enough to want to take it into their home, and that it has brought them pleasure is the greatest gift to me.  It always brings me so much joy to get to personally hear where my pieces will be going and or if there is a story behind the reason for purchasing it.

To take a piece of clay and create is magic to me.  All of my work is hand built and done on a individual basis, not one of my pieces is the same.  They may be similar in style, technique and subject matter to some extent but never identical.  Each piece is unique in it's own right.  Depending on my mood of the day, the season of the year or even the weather outside, they all play into the creation of each piece I make.  On display in my booth you will find vases, clocks, lamps, candle holders, wine bottle coasters, wall hangings, bird feeders and baths to name a few.

The methods that I use to create are pinching, slabbing and coiling methods.  All three techniques are the basis of my work and there are numerous approaches that I use to create.  The majority is solely made with slabbing, but I do have some pieces made with two and all three of these methods.  I use no mechanical devices.  I wedge the clay with my hands and when slabbing, roll it out myself with my rolling pin.  When creating with the slabbing technique I often recycle by using different objects to help create the shapes of my pieces.  The subject matter that I use is mainly that of leaves, flowers, stars, sun and the moon, sports team logos, all of which are inspired from my love of sports, nature and the outdoors.  Stoneware is my clay of preference and all of my pottery is glazed with high fire glazes.