556 Black Pine Ridge Road
Marshall, NC 28753
828-656-2731

Nancy Darrell

I enjoy the rhythms of throwing clay, the repetition of forms as they evolve, the cycles of firing, and the slow changes brought forth through creative inspiration.

I make pottery both to meet a utilitarian need and to explore my own sense of beauty. Porcelain is my choice of clay because its smooth, light texture offers a soothing surface for brushed or carved images. My approach is traditional as I learned and apprenticed with Charles Counts. The mountains and natural images around me inspire me. They show up in all my work. Several years ago I became interested in woodblock prints and my love of this technique soon transfered to my pottery. I began carving on lamp shades. The carved areas allowed more light to pass through giving a light and dark effect like a block print. Later, I began applying a dark slip to the surface of the clay and carving through it. My current work is going in several different directions. This is exciting for me as for many years I just made prodution of one line.