Cottonwood Basin
This large basin is formed using Eastern Cottonwood leaves I collect locally. A clay slab is formed into the mold and leaves impressed over the entire surface; the basin's lip is cut to the leaves' contour. After bisque firing, I stain the inside of the piece and glaze the outside and lip; the entire piece is fired upside down on stilts so it is completely resolved, An excellent centerpiece for a large table or ottoman.
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Cheryl M. English, a long-time resident of the metropolitan Detroit area, has traveled as far as Singapore and Turkey, only to return to her childhood dancing grounds. Having earned a BA in Art History from Michigan State University and an MA in Art History and Archaeology from Cornell University, she realized she much preferred making art to dissecting it. A life-long autodidact, Cheryl first began her ceramics studies with Gene Pluhar through Grosse Pointe Community Education. Taking advantage of Mr. Pluhar’s classroom at Grosse Pointe South High School, she reveled in the pleasures of propane torches, sand blasters and drill presses while investigating the potential of slab rollers, extruders and the wheel. Cheryl’s work is a reflection of her “other” passion: gardening. As an Advanced Master Gardener (certified through Wayne County Extension), her abiding interest in things natural – and indigenous – is reflected in her whimsical creations. Cheryl’s work has been featured in The Detroit News Homestyle Section. Contact Cheryl at cenglish@blackcatpottery.com.
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