Michael Hermann

Clay, Pottery, Wood

"My artistic journey with clay began as a student of Ann Marlin. Refined with the guidance of Margaret Brown it is fueled by my imagination and a quest to create contemporary art as well as traditional work for the table.
Firing pottery in an open fire or pit fascinates me. I like to wrap a pot in soft clay covered with sawdust, banana peel, seaweed and other organic matter. When I pull the pot from the embers, the warm earth tones that are produced delight me. Another interesting technique involves placing horsehair against red-hot pots producing unique lines. Always inspired to move into new directions I am combining horsehair pottery with the use of ferric chloride to create dramatic variations in colour. I experiment with different shaped pots to adorn the home: hearts, eggs, spheres, and vases of different sizes, as well as cups and bowls and other tableware in my electric kiln."