by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
Local artist Myra Schick first discovered the joy of working with ceramics about forty years ago. She taught elementary school art and says she felt she “had to try something different.” She found a book on ceramics, read it and decided to do it. “The kids and I started together, only I got hooked.”
To make the busts she’s most known for, she uses a slab that she shapes over a form. From that basic template she hand shapes the face and uses coiling and impression for texture. The impressions are made by interesting objects such as a broken tiara, discarded netting from an onion bag, burlap, an Indian fabric stamp, and a plastic doily. Schick always keeps an eye out for patterns and ‘found’ materials (particularly antiques) that she can use in her art: “I’m always looking for what I call ‘jumping off places’--an idea that I can take and run with…” Schick also makes her own impression patterns by cutting patterns into wooden rounds and ceramic rounds (also called rondos). She then uses the patterns by rolling the rounds over the wet clay.
She currently uses 23% paper pulp clay, a clay so versatile and easy to work with that Schick says she wishes she had it when she first started teaching. “Nothing blows, nothing breaks [in the kiln]…and you can take an already fired broken piece…and repair it by putting just a little bit of the wet clay in between.”
She’s especially also known for her beautiful high-gloss ceramic leaf bowls. The intricate leaf patterns are actually transferred from real leaves. These plates are rich with fascinating details, like the veining and sub-veining of the leaves, leaf fuzz and a few edges where insects have taken a nibble. Some of leaves are huge, as big as a large platter. When asked where she finds the leaves she says cannily “Now that’s a secret…” but does admit that the leaves do come from the Jacksonville area.
To find some of Myra Schick’s art and ceramics go to Bungalow Artworks at 2782 Park Street. You can contact her to commission work at myrajean@aol.com or (904) 387- 8797.
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