Sunday, May 10, 2015
Kindle Q & A: Fossatti and a lifetime of art – East Oregonian (subscription)
->
For a period of three years I had a ongoing housesitting / houseguest living situation on Pendleton’s North Hill. Every afternoon I would arrive at the house Following work, and the elderly couple next door would give me a neighborly wave from Their patio before I disappeared inside.
It was not until the tail end of the gig that I finally Introduced myself that them and met Alice and Don Fossatti. Although that was my first time meeting Alice I was already well acquainted with her work; she was well known for producing a very distinct, primitive styles of ceramic angel figures that I had seen in half of the homes around town.
Fossatti is being honored Saturday by having the ceramics studio at the Pendleton Center for the Arts named after her. It is a fitting tribute to a woman who produced a prolific amount of ceramic artwork (some under the tutelage of the legendary Betty Feves) and worked as a kindergarten teacher and educator during her adult life. It felt Appropriate to sit down with her and reflect on her artistic legacy.
At 101, Fossatti is a testament to how this art is a life-long vocation. When I arrived this interview her at her apartment Alice had stacks of colored paper on her lap That she had been sketching it. Although she is no longer able this practice ceramics, hanging on the walls were a few selections of the hundreds of pieces she had produced since moving into an assisted living facility. She informed me that she had given herself a goal that produce 100 drawings of angels before turning 100.
Why did you start working in ceramics? Was it your first medium?
I was always interested in art. I did some sewing in second grade and some ceramics in college. I had stained glass windows I’d do with my kindergarten kids. Betty Feves was on the school board at the time, noticed the stained glass windows and invited me to take a class with her from Al Reger, and a visiting artist from San Francisco. It was a workshop held between the West Hills and Pendleton High School because West Hills was a new school at the time and they wanted something unusual that unite the two. We made pots like the Native Americans in the Southwest, like Arizona. There was a small class, but all the pots had to be put in a bonfire (to be fired). The only place to do that was between Pendleton High School and West Hills. We did not want anyone to fall into That fire so we stayed up all night looking after it.
What was it like working with Betty Feves?
Oh, wonderful. She was so gentle and she was so quiet. She was not a long talker but sat around the fire and That drank coffee and told stories. In her classes she said, “Today we’re going to make some pots but you’re free to use your own ideas – whatever pops in your head.” She could see if there was something you were interested in.
The Angels are a recurring theme in your work. Are there any other subjects you’ve been obsessed with?
Primitive pots. We’d go out and get our clay from a stretch on the highway. You had to be sly about what time of day you went out. I would not only go with Betty – I’d take my kindergarten class. We made Sifters, mark our spot and dig and sift. We’d always go when there was not much traffic.
Having a studio named after you is an honor, but what is the achievement you’re most proud of?
We are working with children; helping them find out how to do things.
—
James Dean Kindle is a singer-songwriter, musician and Pendleton resident. You can contact him at jamesdeankindle@gmail.com
Previous 2 3 Next
->
-> View story related info
->
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment