Holiday pottery art demonstration and show Saturday at Carson City Chamber

On Saturday, Linda Ritter, artist and owner of Pinyon Pottery, will demonstrate the art of pottery making between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. bringing in her pottery wheel to the Carson City Chamber of Commerce, 1900 S. Carson Street. Many of her art pieces will be on display and for sale, just in time for the holidays.

Ritter decided to dabble in creating pottery art about five years ago and since she found she liked it so much, decided to learn more to be able to create art she could sell. With only an introductory course at the Brewery Arts Center and then a two-week immersion course at Tuscarora Pottery School in Tuscarora to learn glazes and other methods of firing, Ritter continues to create lasting art pieces.

“I have learned a lot about pottery from watching You Tube and logging in to the internet to see how others are doing it,” she says.

She also consults books on creating unusual glazes that have become her specialty.

She doesn’t take specific orders, preferring to create one-of-a-kind art. She sells her pieces in art stores in Eureka and Winnemucca as well as in her son’s coffee shop in Idaho. She has been selling her art through the Carson City Chamber since she started her new passion.

“I love to get my hands dirty and let my creative thoughts flow through my hands.”

She added it is important to be in the right mood.

When she places a finished piece inside her kiln and pulls out the piece on the third day, she feels as though she is opening the door to various gifts. The glazes look very different when they are on raw clay than when the finish is baked in the 2300 degree kiln, so she has no idea what might happen and is usually pleased with the results.

Ritter only participates in one annual craft show, preferring to sell pieces in specialty shops such as the Chamber. As a thank you for coming in, she will be giving out a special scented clay keepsake while supplies last. Refreshments will be served. A RSVP to 882-1565 is appreciated.