Meet Vicki Hamilton of Millennia Antica Pottery. I have been making pots for many years and successfully built my reputation as an artist through shows and gallery openings in Northern California until 1999. The patrons who collect my work have brought it to Japan, New Zealand, Australia and many other areas of the United States. After a brief hiatus, and coming to Seattle, I began my work newly in 2000.
My work, particularly the surface decoration, is inspired by the colors and textures found in nature (with my love of Japanese and Italian ceramics as contributing factors). I am passionate about, challenged and delighted by, and fulfilled in my work. Each piece is unique.
I am a Studio Artist at Moshier Community Art Center in Burien, where I do my work and teach classes.
When I first took ceramics and pottery classes many years ago, our instructor took the class to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. I was hooked - I fell in love with Japanese pottery; particularly the folk pottery that was being produced in Mashiko. I learned about Shoji Hamada and Bernard Leach, and tried to ascertain what was behind this particular kind of expression - pristine simplicity and poetic at the same time. I learned everything I could about what actually went into the production of a piece of pottery, and I said I would go to Mashiko - and 30 years later, I did. In April 2002, I had the pleasure of accompanying my husband, Dennis, to Japan. One of the things we did there was to visit Mashiko. Shoji Hamada lived and worked there for many years - his home, workspace, kilns and reference collection museum are still there. Visiting there was an extraordinary, and blury experience - I was in tears a good part of the time. Inspiring is, I think, the word I am looking for. In the middle of Mashiko, on April 20, 2002, I was returned to what it was that had me want to be a potter in the beginning - working with all 4 elements (air, earth, fire, water) to create an expression born of the earth and brimming with life.
All my work is functional, to one degree or another, and is fired to Cone 10 (approximately 2400 degrees F) in a reduction atmosphere.
