Nancy Adams

Born in San Francisco, California, in 1948, Nancy Yturriaga Adams spent one year studying basic ceramic technique at City College of San Francisco. After receiving an Associate of Arts Degree in 1969, she went on to study classical literature at San Francisco State University. For years she worked in clay in various studio spaces, including Ruby O'Burke's workshop in San Francisco. Now settled in the charming Victorian town of Petaluma in Northern California, Adams' studio is a restful, peaceful place in which to work."My work is individually wheel-thrown white earthenware vessels with hand-carved and hand-modeled flora and fauna motifs. Low fire glazes and underglazes are air-brushed on the ware in multiple coats and then fired to maturity in an electric kiln. I prefer the quiet atmosphere of the lone studio potter--for me it is the perfect lure for the elusive muse that both inspires and propels my work.I've spent many happy years perfecting my skills and revel in the strength to express my homage to what is most sacred to me--the natural environment. I want to celebrate all the wonderful living things on the earth. The heart of my work has always been the lovely symmetry of the wheel-thrown vesel. I love the way it meets the sky, the way it looks at the edge--very much like the horizon stepping into infinity. It is here that the magic takes place, the wonderful point of transformation."