Potter Sharon Graf-Horning Is Two Twelve Arts Center’s Artist of the Month

Sharon Graf-Horning, pottery studio manager and instructor at the Two , is October’s Artist of the Month with her exhibit “Exploring the Terrain of Art in Clay.” A reception is set 7 to 9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7, 216 W. Michigan Ave. in Saline.

After retiring from a 30-year career in ophthalmology, Graf-Horning redirected her passion for pottery.

“My husband Ken and I retired from the work-a-day world and moved to Pittsfield Township from Plymouth eight years ago. We like being near Ann Arbor and appreciate the small town charm of Saline and the art community that thrives here,” she says.

She became a full time potter in 2009, creating a studio in her garage. “I make large pots in very small spaces,” she says.

She took her first pottery class at the Yourist Pottery Studio in Ann Arbor seven years ago, after a co-worker suggested the two try their hands at clay.  Hooked on clay at the very first class, she continued to take classes for 5 years at Yourist, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor Potters Guild, Plymouth Pottery Guild, and Schoolcraft College. 

“Before pottery my hobby was baking, and the similarities with pastry and clay enabled me to pick up the techniques of clay easily,” she says. “Our pottery community knows me as ‘The Cake Lady’ since I often bring my famous dark chocolate cake to potlucks.”

She served as a monitor at the Yourist studio and participated in studio sales, as well as in sales in Chelsea and Southfield.

“I participated in The Ann Arbor Street Fair in 2009 and decided that the intensity of such a large art fair was not for me,” she says. “The following week I became the pottery studio manager at the Two Twelve Arts Center and joined the most supportive community of artists.”

For the past two years, Graf-Horning has donated to the annual Circle of Art auction hosted by Saline Picture Frame in aid of Food Gatherers, and to Empty Bowls in Ypsilanti.

“The Two Twelve Art Center sponsored a throwing party last year providing all of the clay, glaze and firing so we were able to donate 85 bowls to Empty Bowls,” she says.

In 2010, she and center Director Margie Bovee co-founded the Saline Potters Guild, bringing a larger number of potters to the art center. The group meets monthly to participate in challenges, share information and support.

“The Guild also participates in all of the Saline street festivals which bring ceramic awareness to the community,” she says.

During Graf-Horning’s first clay class at Yourist Pottery Studio, Kay Yourist told her that clay is only limited by one’s imagination.

“This is my goal when I teach students the tips and tricks of clay, always encouraging them to have fun and, if you can imagine it, you can do it,” Graf-Horning says. “I teach hand building, throwing and glaze development. I do make functional pottery but my passion is large ceramic art. I often have to limit my work to the size of the kiln I have available.”

Preparing for her October exhibit has been a wonderful exercise in problem solving with clay, she says.

“I’ve taken inspiration from works of famous artists as well as our own very talented artists here in Saline that are part of our 212 art community. Pushing the more traditional boundaries, structure, and form of clay taking inspiration from other art forms has been fun and challenging. I believe people will be surprised at what clay can do.”

The art center’s hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, call 944-2787 or visit www.Twotwelvearts.org.