Guest Curator’s Statement

In her book, What Is Art For?, independent scholar, Ellen Dissanayeke defines art as “making special.” She says that human beings make art when we embellish and beautify activities and things. In this way, we remember an occasion as special.
That is, we make the ordinary extraordinary.

Meals are ordinary and this exhibit attempts to show how to make them extraordinary. By using handmade dinnerware, we are following in the tradition of our ancestors who, at the beginning, fashioned earth into something solid to hold their liquids or foods. As time went on and as they became less nomadic, they used earthenware, stoneware and even porcelain to hold their meals. Eventually, they started to make these things special, even beautiful.

There’s no denying that when you sit down to a meal with family or friends and it is a special occasion like Thanksgiving, families make an attempt to set the table in a way that is not dinner as usual. But why not make each meal inviting, even if it is only you, one person at table? Food tastes better on pots and you might linger a little longer than usual because the dinnerware is worthy of examination.
I use these potters’ wares every day and night in my home. My husband and I pick our favorite cups and mugs every morning for coffee—Ellen Shankin’s reminds me of Ellen and how much I love her; our cereal bowls are Shawn Ireland’s as are the little plates our toast rests on; Michael Hunt’s caramel plates are fantastic for boeuf bourguignon; Mark Shapiro’s tumblers offset the plates handsomely. Dessert or salad is constantly appearing on Jeff Oestreich’s very architectural plates and mounds of garlic-mashed potatoes are generously spooned out of one of Matt Kelleher’s “trenchers.” (It hangs on the kitchen wall when not in use.) Michael Kline’s bowls or teapot make me think of the old Persian designs on tiles and of his wonderful family living in the North Carolina mountains. I think we purchase a little of the potter when we take home a pot.

As a result of using these pots daily, I knew that a show based on the table I set could be fantastic. I hope you are convinced that handmade pots can make a real difference in your dining experience by making this ordinary human ritual an extraordinary one! Thank you Dave Toan for allowing this show to happen!

Linda Hillman, Guest CuratorSeptember 15, 2005