Karl Knudson — Executive Director
Karl is a graduate of the ceramics program at the University of Oregon. In 1997, he was hired by the Salem Art Association to help build and operate the Marjorie T. Sherman Community Ceramics Center. There he rapidly became a popular instructor for children and adults. He also began teaching for the Arts in Education, an artist-in-residence program for local schools. After helping to transform the Marjorie T. Sherman Community Ceramics Center into the more inclusive Visual Arts Center (through the addition of a 2-D studio), he “retired” in 2001 to focus on making artwork and teaching.
In Karl’s own words: “It is my artistic goal to create pottery that is as beautiful as it is functional. I believe that art enhances our daily lives, and the enjoyment of owning decorative pottery is heightened by its ability to be used or displayed. I work in a series so that each piece of my work is unique and personalized, and so that pieces relate to each other as opposed to being identical copies. All of my work is wheel-thrown or hand-built. I alter, assemble and decorate each piece during the creative process, applying stamps and slip to create textures and patterns on the surface, then spray up to eight matte and wood ash glazes on the work to create patterns of color and texture to give each piece a distinct finish. The ash glazes melt to form webs of color and often create fields of small crystals that sparkle in the light.”
Karl’s art can be found in fine galleries nationwide, and online at KarlKnudsonPottery.com. In the Pacific Northwest, you will find his work at the Camas Gallery in Salem, Blue Spruce Gallery in Bend, Mossy Creek Gallery in Gleneden Beach, Botticelli’s in Corvallis, the Hoffman Gallery in Portland, and Artique in Anchorage, Alaska.
Karin Putnam — Event Coordinator
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Nikki Swavarud — Studio Technician
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Sue Karnosh — Bookkeeper
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Lara Bergerson — FCS Assistant
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