Our Sensual, Voluptuous
Workshop with Ellen
By Donna Ward
 

     Ellen Sachtschale doesn't really look like a voluptuary. She looks like a best friend. A tallish redhead with a charmingly self-depreciating smile. She is generous. That is obvious when you remember she has driven a good many miles on California freeways to be here at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 12, 2004.
     Here is a big wonderful studio space at Alpha Ceramics. Alpha Ceramics has relocated to 4675 Aldona St. in Sacramento. The new location is much bigger, much brighter and very comfortable. Mary Classen was bustling around a kitchen full of food when I arrived. We are the Sacramento Potter s Group and by darn, WE CAN COOK.
     So, anyway, Ellen Sachtschale started the workshop right on time, which we all appreciated. She spent the next few minutes teaching us how to pronounce her name. It is pronounced (sok-sha-la)
     Ellen had prepared several large slabs about 5/8 inch thick of pretty heavily grogged clay. She had several samples of her work that she would be demonstrating how to make. Beautiful, sensual, fluid vessels.

 Click on any of the following to see a larger image of the picture:

     As I said, Ellen doesn't look like a voluptuary but voluptuous is the first thing you think of when you see her work. Our group was moved to purchase all of the
samples she brought with her. She demonstrated four different designs all with slightly different techniques, but the principle was the same.  Ellen hand builds. She can throw and sometimes does when she is called upon to do so. Her technique is like my fellow classmate said, " She pets the clay". With a wet manmade sponge she works from the inside of a cylinder out. She strokes the clay into organic swells and curves. It is a very Zen like technique and as we watched her work we became as mesmerized as Ellen did herself. We watched closely, but Ellen's teaching style is so laid back and understated that we lazily talked among ourselves and asked questions of Ellen and just quietly became educated.
     We broke for lunch and Ellen was amazed at the amount of food we had assembled. She was surprised to be invited to partake and share. We were surprised that she was surprised.
     While we ate, (Like I said, WE CAN COOK) we visited with Ellen. She makes
her living with her art. She is a wife, a mother, a teacher, an artist and a really nice lady. She teaches ceramics at Walnut Creek Civic Art Center. She used to live in North Carolina. That information brought on a flurry of north/south cultural difference stories.
     Ellen gave me a copy of her Artist Statement. In part it says: "Though plant-like, my works reflect many qualities of the human spirit. Some conceal and protect their inner selves, while others celebrate in full bloom. Still others swell in willing anticipation of great growth. I often use the pod as a metaphor for life, because of its simple beauty and the unseen potential of the seed within."
     After a nice lunch, we learned and laughed the rest of the afternoon. Ellen was still teaching right up until 4 o'clock when I had to leave. But Anita did round us all up for a group picture. Definitely got our 45 dollars worth out of this workshop.
     It is always so much fun to get together with each other in SPG. I think Ellen Sachtschale liked us. I know we liked her.