Claymakers sculpts a show with studio’s artists and students

Linda Prager saw a woman sitting at a wheel throwing clay almost 15 years ago while visiting her old college roommate in Washington, D.C. and was instantly intrigued.

“When I got there, her teacher was at the wheel throwing, and I watched and was fascinated,” Prager said.

Inspired by the woman, she returned to life in New York City and enrolled in ceramics classes at her local YMCA.

Now, Prager, a North Carolina resident, is one of 19 artists who has artwork featured in Durham’s Claymakers Arts’ Community Open Show.

Charlie Evergreen, a fellow ceramics artist, teacher and curator of the exhibit, said the show, which runs until May 9, features more than 200 pieces made by teachers and students at the Claymakers studio.

“It’s a community open show,” he said. “So, in contrast to the idea of having a theme, the purpose of it is to give the community members an open and comfortable invitation to participate in the gallery.”

Evergreen said for some of the students, this marks their first time being featured in an exhibit — an important step for any artist.

“I just want to kind of make that transition easier (for them),” he said.

Claymakers began in 2000 as a private business but has since switched over to a non-profit. The organization provides studio space, lessons and workshops for ceramics artists in the Triangle area. In addition to studio space, Claymakers also houses a gallery that features work from teachers, students and a few national artists.

Evelyn Ward, an artist and instructor at Claymakers, said she began taking lessons from Claymakers 10 years ago and started teaching there five years ago.

“Claymakers is a really great, vibrant community space for people to learn about clay, pottery and sculpture in general, and I really feel like it’s really building students who are able to move from being students into working as professional potters,” she said.

“Recently, there seems to be a real strong influx of young students, and it’s just a really great place to work and see all the interest that’s developing.”

Ward said she mainly creates functional pieces. She has 15 pieces in the show that range from small mugs and bowls to large canisters.

Ward said she teaches classes at the intermediate level — with roughly eight to 12 students — and each class runs for seven weeks.

Prager said she began taking lessons at Claymakers in 2010, after her move to North Carolina.

“I love the touch of clay, and I like the processes,” she said.

Since then, she has had her work featured in exhibits in New York City and has recently become a member of the Orange County Artists Guild.

Her technique of choice is handbuilding, a technique where an artist uses his or her hands, rather than a wheel, to mold the clay. Prager said it gives her greater control over her work.

“It allows me to create the structure, the sizes and the shapes that I want,” she said.

Both she and Ward hope to continue making art and expanding their bodies of work.

“I want to keep it a creative adventure,” Prager said.

arts@dailytarheel.com