ORCAS ISLAND POTTERY


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	The Potters There are currently 22 potters who show their work at Orcas Island Pottery. Nine who still work and live on the island, and ten others who have worked here or are good friends of the owner Syd Exton. Syd is the 3rd generation potter after her mother and grandmother who bought the place in 1953. Her sons, Aaron and Matt also carry on the family tradition. The other current potter's at OIP are Kristen Zbornik, Penny Sharp Sky, Ginny and Bob Bivaletz, Ryan Lawless, Evan Blackwell, Janet Lum, and Craig Martel. Also showing their work are Matthew Patton, Marc Matsui, Fred Schumaker, Carol Ann Bauer, Victoria Green, Joe Brecha, Beverly Norriss, Joe Symons, Jamil Scherief, Rigel Weis, and Azuriel Mayo.
Syd Exton Owner and 3rd generation at O.I.P.
	Aaron Hardy Aaron is the 4th generation potter at OIP. Working in tandem, Aaron concentrates on throwing beautiful forms for Syd, who is known for her flower-like bowl designs and bold, jewel tone glazing techniques and as the "glaze queen" of OIP. Aaron is, in his own right is an excellent and imaginative glazer.
Matt Haeuser Matt is a 4th generation potter, self taught, with excellent eye for shape and color.

	Jamil Scherief The original vase master, Jamil learned to throw in Australia. He gives a light, fluid shape to his forms, many of which are glazed by Syd Exton.

	Kristen Zbornik An enthusiastic, versatile potter, Kristen joined OIP in 1991. Since her first and only formal pottery class at the University of Oregon in 1981, she has continued to refine her craft in community studios and at Limberlost Pottery in Arizona. Her work is distinguished by oceanic blues and greens, as well as flowing copper reds and pinks. Click here to see Kristen throw a pot

While clay spins beneath my hands, I often look up and notice the eagles fly over President's Channel, or the occasional Orca whale swimming past. The water is alive with motion, always intriguing my imagination with wind and clouds. It is only natural to create functional art that captures the magic of Orcas Island.
From the time I was eight, after attending a pottery class with my mother, I dreamt of being a potter. In 1981, as a freshman at the University of Oregon, I inadvertently ended up in a graduate level ceramics class. It was a twist of fate, but it would take another 10 years before the dream was actualized by coming to Orcas Island Pottery. In the interim, I took a few community ceramics courses, worked with Limerlost Pottery, in Prescott, AZ, and finished a degree in Transpersonal Psychology at Prescott College in Arizona. After two years of leading raft trips in the Grand Canyon, my husband and I moved to Orcas and began leading sea-kayak tours. While the water and sharing adventures are essential to my well-being, I began to yearn for the creative process. In 1991 I joined Orcas Island Pottery. Now, as a mother of a daughter and son, the love of clay and adventures is passed on. Here at Orcas Island Pottery, there is never a boring day. Instead, I am continually filled with wonder, mystery, and the allure of transforming the beauty that surrounds this island into pottery.

Penny Sharp Sky

Penny combines her deep respect for the Earth and the teachings of indigenous cultures around the world in her hand-built pottery which she calls "Ceremonial Artifacts". She uses found treasures, semi-precious stones, beads, and feathers to create "Earth Bowls", rattles, bottles and vases. Penny also makes large handbuilt pitchers, whimsical teapots, "Pottery Bowls", and plates and platters.


Ginny and Bob Bivaletz Ginny arrived at OIP in 1993 sharing her creations of figurative sculpture. She continues to explore new methods and forms including throwing on a traditional-style kick wheel, which she studied in San Miguel, Mexico. In 1996 Bob Bivaletz joined his wife Ginny in creating a line of Asian-style dinnerware and vases in a soft green ash glaze. The beautiful fish serving platters are also Bob's along with the photo cards displaying different views of Orcas Island Pottery. Click here to see their work

Carol Ann Bauer Accomplished Whidbey Island potter who works exclusively in porcelain, Carol Ann's forms are very refined, elegant, as well as functional.


Fred Schumaker A self-taught potter, Fred brings 17 years of experience to his functional and decorative pottery. His glazes include landscape-like blues and browns, as well as bold reds and deep temmoku browns. Look for his large vases, as well as anything you need for daily and special-occasion dinnerware.
Matthew Patton A former instructor at Pottery Northwest, Matt has received many awards for his striking creations. His tiles and V-shaped bowls have a vitality that is enhanced by strong form and bold glazing.
Marc Matsui Another former instructor at Pottery Northwest Studio, Marc is a self-taught potter whose bowls are glazed with striking geometric designs and airbrush work. A master of glaze application, he throws one of the most difficult shapes in porcelain.
Beverly Norriss Bev studied pottery at the University of New Mexico and worked at OIP from 1984-1986. Her fanciful "Fish-On-A-Stick" and Raku-fired fish continue to be OIP favorites.
Joe Brecha Joe is another self-taught potter whose functional ware at OIP is distinguished by copper patina green and blue matte finishes. He is the owner of Clay Arts Center in Tacoma.
Evan Blackwell Graduated in 1999 with a degree in ceramics from Alfred University in New York, he has worked previously at OIP during the summers of 1996 - 1997 and is now a full time potter here. He does production work with a creative technical flare and inventive designs.
Joe Symons Joe Symons took a pottery class at Orcas Island Pottery in 1999 taught by Jamil Scherief and Syd Exton, and has never looked back. He became quickly infected with the crystal glaze virus, for which there appears to be no known antidote. Torturing himself with challenges, he fires crystal porcelain in a gas kiln. Here's the keyhole.
Ryan Lawless Ryan is the newest arrival at Orcas Island Pottery. He joined us from Wisconsin, adding his beautiful and imaginative creations to our shop.
Azuriel Mayo Azuriel arrived on Orcas in 1995 although he had been cruising the nearby waters since 1978. His “main” career was on the water. He has worked on tugs, oil spill skimmers and, for the last 13 years, whale watching vessels. He began playing with clay over thirty years ago, sculpting dragons. He has continued to refine his skills and now has an incense dragon that will smoke out of his nostrils. His whimsical creatures also include frogs, sea dragons, and centaurs. He also has a series of piggy banks that explore our clichés about Time. There is always something delightful at the Pottery to see. You can also check out his website: www.dragonsfrogsandfriends.com

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