Kay Howard has been a member of OCAC for three years. She is currently on the OCAC board and serves as secretary. Kay grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and Arlington, Virginia. She states that starting when she was a teenager art has always been her “therapy”. She recalls that she mentioned to her dad that she wanted to be an art major in college. Her dad questioned what she would do with that degree… Kay majored in biology and got her masters in zoology. She credits her high school biology teacher with influencing her ability to observe patterns in living things, stating that observational skills are required for both the sciences and the arts. Kay says, “I’m a biologist by training, and a potter by choice!”
Kay has been taking a variety of painting and pottery classes since the early 70’s. That is also when she bought her first potter’s wheel. When her two children were young she would set up three easels in the kitchen and have family paint sessions. In the 90’s, while living in Michigan, Kay set up her own pottery studio and sold her pieces at art and craft shows. She also opened an art gallery with three other artists and was a founding member of the Jack-son Pottery & Clay Guild, which is still going strong! In 2007 Kay was one of the first renters in the Armory Arts Apartments in Jackson, Michigan. At one time it had been the world’s largest walled prison and Kay’s living space was a “three cell” apartment with access to a large studio space!
Kay describes herself as a functional potter. She loves the tactile aspect of making pottery and especially enjoys making things that are beautiful and that people can enjoy using. She credits her pottery peers with supporting and influencing her continual journey as a potter over the years. Kay has also continued to paint in all different mediums. She appreciates the impressionist painters and how they interpret light in their paintings. She finds plein air painting inspiring and her favorite on site subjects are trees, rocks, and water.
Kay’s favorite artist tool for both pottery and painting is the palette knife. While working in her studio she listens to nature sounds or classic rock that she can sing along with. Art pieces that she is most proud of include her calla lily vases and her baby bowls (So named because they are smaller than her big bowls!).
In 2011 Kay moved to Canandaigua. She has taken painting classes through the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery and has continued to create pottery in her home studio. Kay’s “dream” project would be to create the same image in all different mediums (oil, watercolor, pastel, clay) and see how that affects the image. Kay’s goal is to keep learning, and to start a group of like-minded artists who will gather together and share the joyful journey of creating art.
Kay can be contacted at: kay.clay@frontier.com
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