A new addition entity since January 2010, The Milwaukee Potters Guild officially opened in the Historic Third Ward's Marshall Building at 207 East Buffalo. The new gallery occupies a lower level location between Bridget Paints and Reginald Baylor Studio. Their four member guild joins a growing number of working studios combined with galleries in the building that allows artist's the freedom to exhibit their artwork while still creating behind the scenes. On this Saturday afternoon, ceramicist Mary Merrill steps out form the glass-enclosed studio (think dust!) to discuss the gallery in their showroom.
Q: Who is and how did the Milwaukee Potters Guild come to be?
A: There are four members [Wendy Arfman, Kate Leung, Lionel L. Mindin, and myself] and we decided to work together and combine forces. Our official opening for the gallery was Spring Gallery Night in April. We create both functional and sculptural pottery, and hope in June, now that we have enough potter's wheels, to schedule adult pottery classes. We're all local established artists who exhibit and Lionel came from the former Stone Age Jewelers on Oakland. He will still custom design jewelry for anyone here [at this location] as well.
Q: So the back room seen through the glass wall is where you mold and fire the clay?
A: We work in the back and the glass partition and door between the two spaces is great. It keeps the dust off the finished pieces in the gallery. We have two kilns, a large gas kiln, which is great for glazing in copper reds. They had to take out a wall to bring it into the studio, and check with the elevator people to make sure the kiln wasn't too heavy, would hold coming down to the lower level. We have several electric kilns as well, and now sinks and running water, right alongside everything. It's a great place to work.
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Q: Is your specialty ceramics?
A: I have a BFA in Art but I do carving, sculpting, painting and ceramics. But pottery is my favorite [medium] and I enjoy the hard work. I specialize in crystalline glazes and am the only person in Southeast Wisconsin who does this. I actually take the raw material from the earth, and grow the crystals myself to make the unusual glazes. You are only allowed to use crystalline glazes for vases or solid foods. Any acidic, even liquids, bring the heavy metals from these glazes into the food. That's why vases usually attract more attention, because bowls or plates are usually for decorative purposes.
Q: Any plans for the studio or guild in the future?
A: This is a very nice, very friendly building to be in, we're very glad to be in here. And Reggie and Heidi are sweeties, at the gallery next door. We hope to be open more often than "by appointment" in the future, and then have themed work in the gallery. And we're looking forward to gallery nights. The last one was great, we're more in the main stream now, being in the Marshall Building with so many other artists. And we do hope to start the pottery classes in June. (For more information on classes at the Milwaukee Potters Guild: 414.277.POTS)
