Sara has been teaching ceramics for the last 40 years! She is apart of the Competitive and Judging Committee for the Exhibitors Association and manages the Ming Award. After her first class in 1976, she was hooked to ceramics!
Sara has been teaching ceramics for the last 40 years! She is apart of the Competitive and Judging Committee for the Exhibitors Association and manages the Ming Award. After her first class in 1976, she was hooked to ceramics!
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Senior Earth Artist, teaching at Allen, Tx Senior Center, Allen, Tx just North of Dallas, Tx. I Have been teaching for the past 40 yrs. I was a Gare seminar director back in the 80 ‘s.
What drew you towards working with ceramics?
I went to my first class in 1976 with a friend. One class and I was hooked. I think of it as my addiction.
How do Mayco glazes and products fit into your work?
Mayco is sold by the only shop close to me and my students. M&W Ceramics, Garland, Tx.
Where do you find inspiration for your work and come up with your design ideas?
Anywhere! I was an art major in college and my brain never turns off. Most come from TV, magazines, wallpaper, internet, quilt patterns and material, etc.
What is it like being on the Competitive and Judging Committee for the Exhibitors Association? How did you get involved with that?
I love to judge. Marchelle Burnham, Back Door Ceramics, Adrin, OR., Tim Hayes Shiloh molds, and I realized there was not a program anywhere anymore that taught when judged. We sat down and for 18 months we combined past programs and came up with our format for EA format and permission from Ming to use her name. She selected the figure to use as our top award.
Can you tell us more about the Ming Award? What is it and what goes into deciding a winner?
It is only awarded in Master classification. The judging sheet we use is like a report card. The Ming Award is named after Chen Sui Ming. She contacted Manufacturers and created a certification in judging and teaching ceramics and college credit awarded from Montclair State College. The certification was sponsored by Ceramic Art Institute made up of Mayco, Duncan, Ceramichrone, Gare, Afracania and some others but I can’t remember. This was in the late 70’s. It is our top award in the Master classification in EA competition. When you are a winner in the professional category, your advancement at the next EA Competiton will put you in the Masters classification.
