The technique that I use to decorate most of my pots evolved from a wax resist method used to create Ukrainian Easter eggs. Using a little brass funnel, or ‘kitsky’, beeswax and a candle flame, I draw on my unfired vessels with melted wax to create patterns and outlines. Then I color in the picture with low fire underglazes. The decorating can be simple lines or have layers of colors and shapes, giving the imagery depth and detail.
Pottery is a way for me to bring the natural world indoors. Living in rural west Michigan provides constantly changing flora and fauna for my inspiration. Clay makes it durable and functional – zinnias covering my coffee mug, my cereal floating in a bouquet of brilliant pink geraniums. Yummy in so many ways. The amazing thing about potting is that it’s older than old and yet always new. I can count on being inspired by a form or technique that may have originated thousands of years ago. The energy in the pots that results can be passed on to the larger public at an art fair or give my dog a sturdy bowl for her kibble.
My pots allow me to share my creative journey with old chums and future friends. My work can be seen on Kalamazoo ARTisans’ facebook page, the kalamazooartisans.com website or in the gallery at the Park Trades Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
– Jackie Stasevich
