Our Artists:

A piece of earth in her hands

Name: Angela Nicole Drew Age: 39 Town: Newport Artistic medium: Pottery Question: Why do you make this type of art?

Answer: I have been an “artist” from a young age enjoying anything artsy and crafty. My most fond memory was making mud pies in my backyard and sandcastles at the beach growing up in San Diego. But I really fell in love with the clay medium in junior high and throughout high school taking ceramic classes. I love that I can make functional pieces of art for the everyday home.

Q: What does your artwork represent?

A: My functional artwork tends to represent nature and feelings. I enjoy leaving some raw clay exposed on my finished pieces that reminds us of where this medium came from: the earth. Using glaze colors I see in nature plays into this feeling of comfort and at home in creation.

Q: What inspires you? A: My main inspirations come from my faith, creation and functionality joining together to inspire feelings of comfort in the everyday normal life when using a mug, bowl or cup.

Q: How do you make it? A: Most all my pieces are thrown on a pottery wheel then bisquefired. I then glaze the pieces and run them through the kiln for the final glaze firing.

Q: What does your art mean to you?

A: My art, to me, means so much … life! Not only am I making items that are used in everyday life but making them gives me life in a few ways. The feeling of doing something you love is a feeling like none other and being able to do it for my livelihood has been a huge jump of faith. But literally making and selling my pottery pieces has kept me alive for the last few years.

Q: Do you have any exhibits/ shows coming up?

A: You can always find my pottery at Vessel Gallery and Clay Studio in Newport (where I also teach clay classes) and at many local markets. I also sell my pottery in Sandpoint at City Beach Organics, Northwest Handmade, Misty Mountain Furniture and The Peppered Mercantile.

Upcoming markets: Timber Days in Priest River on Saturday, July 26 and Sandpoint Arts and Crafts Fair Saturday-Sunday, August 9–10.

Upcoming community classes: Pottery and Picnic at Ruby Creek Resort 1–3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3 and Usk Clay Class at Usk Bar and Grill 2–4 p.m. Sunday Sept. 7.

Additional comments (anything you want to express about your creative process, the arts, upcoming projects, etc.): We have a new quarterly themed show at Vessel Gallery and Clay Studio. Currently, it is Palette of Summer where all the current artists in the gallery have made items that go with the theme and the artwork is displayed all together.

Our future themed shows will also be used to help raise money for local non-profit creative groups in the area.

Sophia Mattice-Aldous is a Murrow News fellow working directly with newsrooms at The Newport Miner and RANGE Media through a program administered by Washington State University. Her reporting is available for use via Creative Commons with credit.