March Featured Artist, Patsy Wicha

March’s Featured Artist is Patsy Wicha, a potter from Brantford. Patsy is a retired secondary school teacher who has found her passion for creating functional pots by mixing clay bodies in earthy, natural tones. She has participated in many shows through the Brantford Potters’ Guild and Holmedale Art Crawl and now she teaches pottery classes on Wednesday afternoons through the Potters Guild at Clayworks Studio in West Brant.  In addition to exhibiting at shows at Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant, Paris Bohemian Gallery and Taryn White Gallery, Patsy is often commissioned by local businesses and individuals to complete custom projects.

Patsy’s interest in pottery began when she was in University. On the weekends, she and her friends would shop at the Farmers’ market where a local potter sold her pots. “It was love at first sight,” Patsy says, “Once settled in my career and family life; I received a ceramics class session for Mother’s Day. I continued taking classes, workshops and courses for about 12 years.”

When asked if there is anyone in particular who has inspired or mentored her in her artistic endeavours, Patsy credits John Prosser for being the most influential teacher to her. She took classes with him at Mohawk and she says he always pushed her to get to the next skill level. “I can still hear him in my head when I’m working on a challenging pot,” Patsy adds.

Patsy’s craft has evolved since she started because, with pottery, there’s always something to learn so with continued exploration comes continued learning. Patsy shares, “mastering the creation and design of mugs, plates, bowls and various other types of pots takes time, patience and creativity. My pots seem to get simpler as I evolve. I guess you could say I’m a minimalist.” Patsy explains, “I appreciate the simplicity of a well-made, simple pot. I prefer simple glazes and gravitate towards earth tones. I have always enjoyed mixing clay bodies and continue to explore and produce agate ware.”

When asked what she enjoys most about her creative projects, Patsy says it’s the most fun to watch people react to the pottery that speaks to them the most. Their happiness and excitement for her work makes her happy in return. She also points out that is “cool to eat and drink from art.”

If reading this has piqued your interest in pottery, there are a handful of tools of the trade that every potter must have access to, including: a kiln, potter’s wheel, slab roller (although you can hand roll if necessary), throwing and trimming tools, and glazes. If you’re a curious potter or drawn to any other art form for that matter, Patsy recommends exploring that interest by taking classes or workshops from different teachers because you’ll learn something new from each one. She elaborates, “When we are drawn to something, it’s usually a sign that we will learn something from it.” For Patsy, pottery gives her a sense of accomplishment every time she creates something. “The constant problem solving required from this activity has also turned out to be a very healthy activity for an aging brain,” she adds.

For more information about pottery and to register for one of Patsy Wicha’s classes, please visit www.brantfordpottersguild.com for details. You can also follow her on Instagram @potterybypats or see her work in person at Wylde Rose Handmade Soaps or Steve’s Tea Company.