Rachel Coward
Earth Song Pottery
In the peacefulness of her garden studio over-looking Haro Strait, Rachel's joy is found in incising patterns from nature on her wheel-thrown pots.. Rachel creates functional pieces using a white porcelainous clay, fired in oxidation to 2165"F. She also enjoys the excitement of producing decorative 'Raku' pots and unglazed primitive Pit-fired vessels. Rachel is especially known for both her carved leaf designs under a forest green glaze, and her highly burnished, slowly pit-fired vessels with carbonized forest fern designs.
"Loosing myself in carving designs on leather-hard clay
is pure pleasure and an act of meditation.
The challenge of creating with clay is an ever-ending delight!"
After 36 years as a nurse, Rachel began a second career as a potter in 1995 when inspired by her early teacher Meira Mathison. She has also been influenced through workshops with Darrel Hancock, Tom Coleman and Les Manning, among others. Rachel is currently an active member of the South Vancouver Island Potters Guild (past Librarian, Archivist & current Secretary) and Garden City Potters group, and for the past 14 yea s participated in bi-annual shows with the Clay by Design Potters group along with 4 other ceramic artists.
