Artist: Janet Akers

Craft Medium:  Clay Artist's Statement: I enjoy working with clay because it is flexible -- I can add to it or carve away from it as needed. All of my work is hand-built and fired in an electric kiln. I glaze some pieces, but prefer to use other ways of coloring the surface that produce a more primitive look. One method is to smoke the pieces in a metal bin with scrap paper, the other is to fire them in the kiln in a container filled with organic materials and wire. I am fascinated with the look and feel of different textures, so I often incorporate other materials with my clay. Some of these include metal, wood, handmade paper, stained glass, beads, small stones, and dried vegetation. The subject of my work varies according to what catches my fancy, but there are a few themes that I return to often: nature, horses, women, and architecture.