Linda Heisserman

Linda Heisserman—”I work in porcelain clay because it reminds me of a canvas. Each piece is thrown on the potter’s wheel. When the piece is leather hard, I start carving with single edge razor blade and dental tools. The piece starts to come alive for me when I carve; sometimes straight and precise lines, sometimes curving and soft lines. Sometimes I create openings/holes, so I can look through and around the pieces. I use a light green celadon or blue celadon glaze for my carved pieces because the glaze pools in the deeper grooves and pulls off the higher parts which quietly accentuates the carvings. I strive for my pieces to be both functional and special enough to bring a smile to a person’s face and eyes.”

After settling in Bend Oregon in 1976, Linda started applying for and getting into art craft fairs and gave up her ‘day’ job to become a self-supporting potter. Her innate perfectionism was tested when her rabbit took one bite out of each bowl she had thrown that day. Instead of throwing out all the bowls because of the  imperfection, she cut into the lip of the bowls to hide the bite and created her asymmetrical distinctive Bunny Bowls. That day she learned a big life lesson—sometimes one needs to set aside what they wanted (the perfect bowl) and see what they have (a truly unique bowl) and go with it. Through this lesson she was able to start carving through vases and alter edges to make her distinctive style.

Linda has sold her work in galleries around the Pacific Northwest and she has sold in many art festivals along the West Coast. In 2008, She and a couple other artists started a members-only gallery in Bend, Oregon. At one point they had 6 Partners and 28 Members showing their art. The experience taught Linda how important it is for an artist to continue to develop and create. She resigned as a partner at the end of 2018 and is looking forward to her next steps in creating and showing her art.

She is now on permanent display at ART-on-FIRST, in Ashland Oregon.

Linda was born in Berea, Ohio in 1950. She lived in the Midwest and East Coast until she was 24 years old. She was teaching school in a small Quaker School in Virginia Beach. She was spotted hooking a rug of her own design by a bank President of a small Bank. He offered her a job designing wall hangings for his banks. Instead, Linda decided to go back to school to obtain an Art degree. While attending Virginia Commonwealth University, she was able to try Ceramics, Jewelry, Weaving and Glass blowing. Ceramics stole her heart as did using porcelain clay as a canvas for her ideas. After obtaining her BFA she headed West to fulfill a dream of living in the mountains with nature around her. Linda settled in Bend Oregon in1976. After several starts and stops, to build houses and work in grocery stores, Linda started applying for and getting in Art Craft Fairs. This led to Linda learning a big life lesson. She had given up her "day" job and decided to become a self-supporting potter. Until the day her rabbit took one bit out of each bowl she had thrown that day, Linda had been a perfectionist. Instead of throwing out all the bowls for not being perfect, she cut into the lip of the bowl to hid the bite and created her asymmetrical distinctive Bunny Bowls. Her lesson was that sometimes one needs to set aside what they wanted (the perfect bowl) and see what they have (a truly unique bowl) and go with it. Through this lesson she was able to start carving through vases and alter edges to make her distinctive style. Linda has sold her work in Galleries around the Pacific Northwest and she has sold in many Art Festivals along the West Coast. In 2008, She and a couple other artists started a Members only gallery in Bend, Oregon. At one point they had 6 Partners and 28 Members showing their art. The experience taught Linda how important it is for an artist to continue to develop and create. Linda resigned as a partner at the end of 2018 and is looking forward to her next steps in creating and showing her art.

I work in porcelain clay because it reminds me of a canvas. Each piece is thrown on the potter's wheel. When the piece is leather hard, I start carving with single edge razor blade and dental tools. The piece starts to come alive for me when I carve; sometimes straight and precise lines, sometimes curving and soft lines. Sometimes I create openings/holes, so I can look through and around the pieces. I use a light green celadon or blue celadon glaze for my carved pieces because the glaze pools in the deeper grooves and pulls off the higher parts which quietly accentuates the carvings. I strive for my pieces to be both functional and special enough to bring a smile to a person's face and eyes.

EDUCATION:

1996 MA ABS Leadership Institute of Seattle, Seattle WA.

1974 BFA Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.

Bibliography

Pottery Illustrated, Jan./Feb. 2017 Article concerning how I make my art

500 Vases, 2010, Photo of one vase.

EXHIBITIONS:

2009/2010 Governor's Manson, Salem, Oregon

1992 Real Mother Goose Teapot Show, Portland, Oregon

1984 Oregon Community College Show, Bend, Oregon

1974 Virginia Art Museum, Richmond, Virginia

Participated in Craft Fairs in;

Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Edmonds, Sun Valley, Salem, Tempe, Bellevue, Boise and Los Angeles

GALLERIES:

2024-Present ART on FIRST, Ashland, Oregon

2010-2019 Partner of Red Chair Gallery, Bend, Oregon

2010- Mossy Creek Gallery, Lincoln City, Oregon

2017- Art on the Oak, Hood river, Oregon

Childhoods End Gallery, Olympia , WA

Hood Ave Art Gallery, Sisters, OR

Tumalo Art Co., Bend, OR