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Photo by Lauren LaRocca
Ceramic artist Judy Ott sits in her home studio in Thurmont. Behind her is her bulletin board for inspiration, covered in clippings of pottery ideas and photographs of family members working with clay. |
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Thurmont ceramic artist Judy Ott never looked at her work as more than a hobby. But shortly after a serendipitous kiln purchase, Ott began showing her pottery at the Thurmont Regional Library and, tonight she will be part of an exhibit at the Rebecca Pearl Gallery in Emmitsburg .
“The kids have gotten most of the stuff over the years,” she said, wandering past tables of pottery in her basement studio. “If a friend was sick, I’d put flowers in one of my vases and take it to them.”
Most of her pieces are functional, though she does do decorative work and sculptures, such as the Washington Monument and covered bridges. Both styles, including several mugs, can be seen at the Rebecca Pearl Gallery.
Ott, who grew up in Adamstown and has lived in Thurmont for 43 years, is retired and volunteers at the Thurmont Regional Library.
She studied ceramics at Frederick Community College as well as Hood College.
“I just audited the classes for 20 years,” she said. “I did it just as a hobby.”
Her pieces include dragonflies, owls, an octopus, flowers and lily pads.
She never considered selling her pieces — let alone exhibiting — but opportunities arose.
“This is all so sudden. I don’t normally produce 30 pieces in a week.”
Near her potters wheel, she has a bulletin board full of magazine clippings of ceramic pieces that inspire her, as well as a few photos of her grandchildren at the wheel.
“They think it’s great,” she said.
“It was just a childhood thing that carried over. It’s something I always loved to do. With the kids, I use Play-Doh.”
After the kids grew up, she tried a pottery class at FCC “and next thing I know, 20 years have gone by. ... Once you get that clay spinning around, you don’t think of anything else.”
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