Pamela Timmons is the first to tell you she came to ceramics in a rather utilitarian, sensible way: She was a horticulturalist who ran out of vases.
“I tend to get in and jump in over my head before I know it. I just started doing that and it worked,” admits Timmons about her start in clay.
More than 35 years later, Timmons is a well-established potter and sculptor and Pewabic’s visiting artist during the 27th Annual House & Garden Show, with weekend demonstrations of how she sculpts turtles, frogs and human faces, among other subjects; decorates and carves pots; and throws on the wheel.
An artist in Pewabic’s Gallery of North American Artists, Pewabic debuted Timmons’ clay turtles almost 20 years ago at the House & Garden Show. In 2013, she added bronze turtles, on which she could incorporate details — toenails, for instance — that she couldn’t on her more fragile clay turtles.
“Pewabic has been personally supportive,” says Timmons about the first place she offered her clay turtles. Though she can’t recollect why she chose turtles as her subject: ““It completely changed my life….Every single kiln load has a turtle in it. I sell as many as I can stand to make.”
As visiting artist, Timmons plans to demonstrate how she attaches elements of her sculptures, which she says come together in phases.
“That’s something I’m interested in showing people this weekend. There are a lot of internal steps and hollowing out,” says Timmons.
“Pewabic is fabulous,” she says. “I’m surrounded by this wonderful feeling when I’m at Pewabic. I always feel like I’ve come home somehow. It feels so good to be connected to something that’s been going on so long, but in a completely contemporary fashion.”
Visiting artist Pamela Timmons will be on site for demonstrations 12-4 PM, Friday, June 9; 10 AM-4PM Saturday, June 10; and 12-4 PM Sunday, June 11.
