Maui ceramics artisan Stacey Guinan has been a potter for 13 years. She is influenced strongly by the old Korean and Japanese masters use of iron based celadons and fine delicate forms. All of her "pots" start off on the potter's wheel. Large pieces are often joined in sections, going as high as 3 feet at times!

The pieces are fired to a low temperature initially to drive out the moisture and absorb the glaze. Glazes are essentially liquid, ground glass with other stabilizers and mineral colorants. Along with some bright contemporary colors, Stacey is constantly exploring the rich, traditional iron based high fire glazes, such as celadon, shino, and iron reds. These glazes require a precise firing technique, called "reduction". This means that at the appropriate temperature, as judged through peek holes in the roaring kiln, the fire is suffocated, the oxygen "reduced", and the fire, seeking something to burn in the absence of oxygen pulls iron from the glaze and gives us, like magic, stunning glazes with depth and variation.

As Stacey puts it . . . "Throwing pots is one of the most centering and rythmic activities I've ever known. For the cut pots, I use strong sandy clays for strength and fire them high-to 2350 degrees farenheit. This adds immensely to their strength, despite the appearance of fragility. In fact, part of what intrigues me about this work, aside from designing and executing the pieces, is pushing the clay to it's limits, literally, and to see how amazingly strong it is. That a pot can hold itself together in threads of lace and leaves thoroughly delights me."

Once again, the artists speaks of her work. "I find myself peering through the leaves, through the empty spaces, and these are my cuts. The pieces then go through the surprisingly risky process of smoothing the cut edges. Too much water can end the whole thing in a wet heap, while the right touch gives the soft edges I crave. So I carefully do this in segments, allowing a patch of the pot to dry before continuing on. I get in between some of the lacy, leafy cuts with an itty bitty sponge on a stick that I get from the airport security gaurds. It's the best tool for the job, and I've tried many."

The cut out series allows Stacey something not easily attained in the hot, runny world of high fired pottery, and that is pieces with multiple glazes with distinctive imagery. These glazes want to melt together in the kiln, but her detailed carvings keep them more or less where she applies them. Stacey paints glaze on each individual image, whether it be one leaf, one butterfly, etc., in coats of 3. She then paint a layer of wax over that to protect it from the other glazes as she works. The wax also acts as a resist for a final dip in the predominate background glaze, often celadon, which also covers the inside of the piece.

After the freshly thrown pot sets up a bit it is ready for carving. This is where it gets exciting.! Working always out of her sketchbook, Stacey starts out with a pencil and draws the design onto the piece freehand. She then goes over the drawing with a variety of carving tools, paying careful attention to depth of line, and always considering how the glazes will pool and break in the carvings. Drawing from nature, from fabric, people, fruits and plants is absolutely essential to her process.

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