I grew up around ceramics. My mother put a pottery wheel in our backyard one summer and my brother and I started learning the basics of throwing at the young ages of 7 and 10. Despite many years of practice, I never quite had the patience for ceramics or the strong heart needed when a piece you’ve worked ages on gets destroyed in the kiln. But I’ve never lost my appreciation for the art.
One of my favorite ceramicists is Sara Paloma. After taking a pottery class at Cal State Long Beach in the mid-90s, Paloma was hooked. She set up a studio in her home and continued to hone her craft until 2003 when she switched to ceramics full time. In 2004, Paloma moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco, where she continues to work.
I first discovered Paloma’s work on Etsy about ten years ago, later experiencing her work in person at a craft fair in San Francisco. What drew me was the style, the simplicity, the way some of her vessels seemed to mimic the shape and energy of flowstones. To have a collection of her work, whether for function or for decorative art, is high on my wish list.
(All images from Sara Paloma’s site.)
