ArtistsAndMusicians will be celebrating American pottery through the summer 2012, and our featured potter is Margie Skaggs of New York and West Stockbridge, MA. Margie Skaggs's work reflects a rich mixture of influences as diverse as America itself, from Native American to Asian. Her work, made from stoneware or porcelain, is both functional and decorative, and includes bowls, covered jars, vases, plates, platters, mugs and casseroles. Margie Skaggs favors traditional glazes from China (celadons) and Japan (shinos) often combined with slips, washes and other glazes. Additional decorative techniques include brushwork, slip or glaze trailing, stamping, and carving.
Most of the pots are fired in a cone 10 reduction atmosphere which produces a rich combination of color, texture and depth of surface, as well as a strong body able to withstand oven temperatures and dishwashers. This firing method also means that finished results can vary quite a bit, even when the same glazes and clay body are used. In Margie Skaggs's own words, "I value this element of surprise – it means that every piece is unique – even in a set of bowls or plates."
Designed for both beauty and utility, Margie Skaggs pottery exhibits a full and lively quality, and each piece retains the gestures of the hands that made it. She creates lush and varied surfaces that invite touch and make even the simplest piece feel luxurious and distinctive.
Margie Skaggs exhibits in various venues in New York and Massachusetts, including Greenwich House Pottery, IS 183 Art School, Nippon Gallery, Graphic Eye Gallery, and Hoadley Gallery. Pottery purchased through Artists and Musicians can be shipped anywhere in the continental United States.
