bluesagepottery's Profile

Bio

I am a full-time studio potter in Amarillo, TX. My wife, Megan Easley, and I are the owners and operators of Blue Sage Pottery & Art Gallery located on W. Sixth Avenue, part of historic Route 66, as it runs through the Texas Panhandle. Megan is a very talented artist who now works primarily as a painter; her beautiful paintings are also displayed in our Gallery along with my pottery. I studied ceramics with Elmer Taylor at the University of North Texas who inspired and challenged me to reach deep within myself and become the best potter I can possibly be, I credit him with fueling my interest in functional pots and earthy glazes. I returned to the Texas Panhandle in 2002 and completed my B.F.A. degree in Ceramics and Glass at West Texas A&M University. Today I work in our new spacious studio in Amarillo, TX., pursuing my love of stoneware pottery, ash glazes, and natural gas firing. I also travel, giving ceramic workshops, and attending art festivals, and participating in group and solo exhibitions.

Kent Harris - Artist Statement:

Pots made with local materials and a clear purpose can achieve true beauty found most often in nature. The more pottery I make, the more my commitment to local materials grows. The local materials I use include a variety of clays and wood ashes. Blunging my clay body and preparing wood ash glazes are lengthy processes during which I become more aware of myself. Using clays and wood ash glazes allows me to create pots that reflect the natural beauty of their source, i.e. the earth and trees. To throw my pots I use a kick-wheel. The slow turning of the manual wheel leaves rhythmic lines in the clay, providing areas where the wood ash glaze will pool. Organic surface decorations achieved by texturing the leather hard clay create even more recesses for the wood ash to pool. I believe my pots are honest and full of spirit because of my materials and processes.

Male, Born on May 11

Favorite Materials

Stoneware, Clay, wood ash, Glaze, Local material, Porcelain