Living on a fixed income due to his low vision made tuition a concern for Tony, but thanks to our scholarship program, he’s been able to take a ceramics class every session for the past year and a half. He started with wheel throwing, but once he tried handbuilding–making forms using techniques like pinching, coiling, and slab building–he told us, “I never went back.”
“Handbuilding is so much more satisfying to me,” he said, “especially as a texture person–someone who has to see by feeling.” It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though; Tony had some tough lessons to learn initially. “I’m very hard on myself, and at first, I had to accept that it’s okay to mess up.”
How did he overcome his perfectionism? By reminding himself that he could roll every mistake into a fresh ball of clay.
Now, one of Tony’s pieces is featured in our Ceramics Studio display case, a showcase of inspiration filled with exemplary pieces made by our instructors, resident artists, visiting artists, and, very rarely, by our students.
“It’s been an inspirational experience watching Tony navigate through obstacles and develop his pottery skills,” said our Director of Ceramics, Po Wen Liu. “His pottery is exceptional with a style all his own.”
“Sawtooth is a great place to come–it’s not judgmental, and everyone is very helpful and encouraging,” Tony said. He speaks highly of all our staff, from our world-class instructors who guide Tony in refining his skills to our Registrar, who helps him find inspiration by offering tactile and descriptive tours of artworks in our Marta Blades Shop and Davis Gallery.
Tony’s artistic journey wouldn’t be possible without your generosity. Tuition and class fees only cover 50% of our necessary expenses, and we rely on gifts from community members like you to continue our work of providing art opportunities for all. We sincerely appreciate your support in making Sawtooth a warm, welcoming space to create.
In partnership,
Lauren Davis
Executive Director
–Tony Conley
