I moved to the Monadnock Region last year and found a home in the Sharon Arts Center pottery studio. I was able to take regular classes there, and as an incredible “transition class,” found myself amongst master potters in a wood firing workshop with international master potters. For someone who is used to community studios, this was several steps above what I’m normally used to!
What I value in working next to other potters is this: I value to the connections I make with others. My work is pushed to a different level, my life is expanded beyond my little space on the planet, my pottery donations help feed people, my pottery sales through the community help subsidize other potters (young and old) who may not otherwise be able to afford pottery.
What I’m starting to perceive as unique with what was the Sharon Arts Center is the pilgrimage to the wood kiln. Although I only participated in one firing, I saw a tight-knit community that spread beyond Monadnock potters. As our survey of local artists trickles in results, there is a strong feeling that the wood kiln, unique for its construction, should be saved. We have not even surveyed the potters who have come far and wide for some of the firings. Because of the wood kiln, NHIA/SAC created a community of artists that reaches far beyond this region.
Finally, I do strongly believe that we need to come up with a sustainable model for moving forward with a shared vision that includes all types of artists: those that aspire to be masters at their work, creating a cohesive body of work to be critiqued and valued, and those that make art because it improves their quality of life in an immeasurable way. Please participate in this discussion.
The Sharon Arts community of potters and ceramicists has been the leading driver of the effort to confront the loss of the Sharon Arts Center, Gallery, and Store. Of the 93 survey participants, 44 are artists that work in ceramics. Some are local, some come from up to 50 miles away. These artists value the resources that were at the Sharon Arts Campus – including the one of a kind Fushigigama wood fire kiln. In fact 28 individuals in this group said they would be willing to pay a monthly membership fee to utilize space and equipment at the old Sharon Arts Center building. Acknowledging this community, their needs, and the special assets that Sharon Arts Center’s building brought to this group is a key step forward in understanding how to proceed on our path to “save” the Sharon Arts Center. The space, unique equipment, and community connections made, are vital and valuable, and something the group can work to build a business model around as we move forward.