Janet Buskirk
As an artist, it is difficult to strike a balance
between making "art" and making "art that sells". I
make two lines of production work, as well as a
variety of pieces which come from the heart and vary
depending on my inspirations.

My two types of production work are functional
porcelain tableware and a series of humorous,
sculptural animals. The functional porcelain is
colorful, basic dinnerware. For this series I am very
concerned about the quality of workmanship, the color and texture of the glazes, and the balance and feeling of each piece. The animals are different. They are fun and funky and each comes with a short, humorous story about it's life and travails.

When I am not making my production work, I try to spend days in the studio just playing and
experimenting. On those days, I make the work that keeps my soul satisfied. This also keeps my
production work fresh and keeps me interested in clay. Some of the work that I make on those days is fired in an anagama kiln. This kiln is a 30-foot long, wood-stoked tunnel kiln which is fired around the clock for three to four days. The ash from the wood coats the pots and gives them very special colors and textures. This is very labor intensive and requires a large crew of people to prepare wood and prepare and fire the kiln.

Every year or so I try to drive to Guatemala in my old Datsun truck. I always get sidetracked in Mexico and have yet to get to Guatemala. These long trips help to keep me thinking and my work changing. I hope that I will always be able to think of a few new things to keep my mind active and my work alive and playful.