TCR: How did you pursue it?

RR: I repeated the Advanced Ceramics class a couple of times, just to have access to the facilities, and spent as much time there as I could. I had an affinity for throwing bowls and drawing kind of primitive-inspired geometrical designs on them. Rather than experimenting with different glazes, I preferred getting color with different slips, and incising my designs through them, or applying them after the designs were drawn. When I switched to raku firing, I found that the rather boring slip colors turned out more iridescent and softer, almost pastel.

I also really liked handbuilding. When I coil-built my first life-size female torso, I remember the young students looking at it and joking about it looking pregnant. I (an ancient 33-year-old at the time) replied, "No, women really have stomachs once we relinquish sucking them in through our twenties!"

When I couldn't take any more classes (there is a limited number of times you can take a class, especially when you are not enrolled in a degree program), I set myself up at home, doing mostly hand-built work until I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow a potter's wheel from a friend. Other potter friends helped with firing.

When my partner and I moved to our current home, I finally had a garage which I insulated, Sheetrocked, and equipped with an electric heater, kiln, and the borrowed wheel. Now it was "the studio," and I was allowed a spot at the edge of the garden area for my raku and sawdust kilns. I was in business!

TCR: When did your work become spiritual in nature? Where did your interest and knowledge of ancient spiritual legacy begin?

RR: I remember around first grade being fascinated by archeology. I spent time in the library looking through National Geographic magazine, captivated by its pictorials and stories of the treasures unearthed in Indian burial grounds and Egyptian tombs. It was a wonder to me that people could dig through layers of earth and rubble and find objects and fragments which, when pieced together, would tell the stories of ancient cultures and ways of life. I'm sure this interest and mystery probably laid the earliest groundwork for the manifestation of my artistic conceptions.

Then, while I was taking ceramics classes as an adult, I came across a book called "When God Was a Woman," published in 1976 by Merlin Stone. The book jacket description reads, "The story of the most ancient of religion, the religion of the Goddess, and the role this ancient worship played in Judeo-Christian attitudes toward woman." This changed my life and became the first spiritual influence on my work, with the idea of the Divine Feminine or Goddess at its center. I found this notion both healing and empowering. Stone's book is illustrated with photographs and drawings of female prehistoric artifacts, which inspired me to make my first "goddess" from clay, modeled after the carved limestone, "Venus of Willendorf," that was unearthed in Austria and dates back to 30,000-25,000 B.C.E.

Rebecca Rod in her studio. Photo by Brian Kratzer A current version of my "Drawing Down the Moon" vase, depicting a ritual of women dancing under a full moon to bring the power of the Goddess into themselves. Wheel-thrown stoneware, incised design, raku glazed and fired; 12 inches tall. Photo by Mark LaMoreaux

TCR: How has the spiritual nature of your work affected the identity/characteristics of you audience, and your career as a ceramic artist?

RR: My first "shows" were at the Women's Center on the UI campus: When I came up with something I deemed worthy of sharing, I would run across the street from the art building and show it to the friendly and "safe" audience who happened to love most everything I shared. Positive feedback is very encouraging and emboldening! I also had a couple of seasonal shows (before Christmas, usually) at my home, where I would amass a semester's worth of work, display it nicely on the dining room table and any other flat surfaces I could find, and invite friends over. Providing food was an additional incentive!

I continued to limit my showings mostly to woman-oriented venues for the first couple of years or so, even after I quit my "day job." These groups were very understanding of the ideas behind my work. I showed at women's music festivals, a couple of professional women's meetings (Women in Psychology, a Northwest Women's Studies Conference, and Women of Wisdom, an annual women's spirituality conference in Seattle, Wash.)

I branched out into the metaphysical/New Age world by showing at a local store called Inner Vision, where the owner had a small gallery space and the clientele was open to my artistic ideas. As I got more exposure, I developed some retail accounts with metaphysical types of stores, and then, in the summer of 1995, I exhibited at the International New Age Wholesale Show in Denver and picked up 15-20 new stores.

After a few years of wholesaling my smaller pieces, I am now making an effort to do more direct selling by entering juried shows and fairs. I am not as [apprehensive] as I was at first about putting my goddess-oriented work "out there." More people seem to be receptive to expanding spiritual ideas, and I've become more comfortable with presenting my work to the wider public.

I think the spiritual nature of my work has affected the development of my career positively, because it allowed me to focus my marketing early on, and then to build and expand my audience incrementally and comfortably.

TCR: How did you make the transition to a full-time "career" selling your work?

RR: I had begun consigning my work at Inner Vision and selling it through a couple of local art co-ops. But, one evening in November of 1994, a friend who had overheard me whining about wanting to just quit my job and pursue my (bright!) future in pottery, offered to lend me money to get started. After talking it over with my partner, I decided to borrow $2,000 from my friend, which I figured would cover my living expenses for four months, and quit my job. I was free! Free to follow my dream!

Much to my vexation, I fell into a funk. People were telling me how brave I was, how they admired what I'd done, and I was having panic attacks. No more paycheck. No more workplace to go to [to get out of the house]. No more co-workers to relate to. It took a bit to get through that, but let's just say it didn't require shock treatments. Seriously, it takes more adjustment than you'd think to make the transition from the day-to-day work world to being on your own. Many of you know that. I am fortunate to have a supportive partner who believes in my creativity and ability to get my work out into the world.

By the way, I paid the loan back, with 10 percent interest, about a year later.

"Initially, the medium of clay inspires me. It invites, maybe even begs touch. It is also a kind of spiritual mentor, modeling for me its qualities of give and take, acceptance and forgiveness, pliancy and resistance, and endless possibilities for shaping, molding, and letting go. Basically, I view it as the richest and truest elemental medium, utilizing all five elements, being composed of earth and water, shaped by spirit, and completed by air and fire. And the clay also touches and grounds me, animating my creativity through its venerable connection to spiritually inspired images and vessels formed thousands of years ago by so many, many people and cultures. As I honor it and devote myself to it, it continues to breathe life into me. Terra Mater. Mother Earth." --Rebecca R. Rod

TCR: How have you reached your market?

RR: As far as promoting artwork is concerned, it is so much easier when your artistic idea happens to lend itself to a niche market or particular audience. It helps you gather and focus energy and research. I have always had strong ties to women's groups and centers, etc., so a lot of my initial connection to appropriate and enthusiastic "markets" was already familiar and available to me -- through word of mouth, literature, postings I would come across about conferences, etc.

In the last couple of years, however, I also have been able to expand beyond the obvious venues into more widening currents that mingle and flow through the general public. Beyond women-related publications, I consult "New Age" magazines, ceramics publications, and, of course, The Crafts Report for show opportunities. (I wish more western show sponsors, resources and advertisers would discover The Crafts Report and invest in it!)

TCR: I know that you were a part of a video about several artists. ... What was this about, how did it come about?

RR: "Visions on the Palouse" (1998) was the brain-child of Jane Jackson, a talented videographer, producer, artist and friend at the University of Idaho who decided to make this video about eight local women artists and what inspires them, especially in relation to our surrounding landscape, the beautiful rolling hills of what is called the Palouse. She received support from the University of Idaho and Idaho Public Television. I was lucky enough to be selected by Jane as one of the eight artists. No bribes were involved!

TCR: Do you see any disadvantages to selling spiritual work? How do you overcome them?

RR: Creating and selling spiritually related artwork has been a big advantage for me. It feeds and heals my soul and psyche, and seems to do the same for the folks who see it and buy it. And I have the added pleasure of coming in contact with many wonderful and thoughtful people because of it.

Disadvantages? Having to take money for it! (Just kidding.) Actually, early on, I was a little afraid that people wouldn't understand it and would think it was weird, even after I'd explain it to them. But, it never happened. I guess those folks just stay away.

"Seated Mother," hand-built hollow figure with rattles inside, sawdust-fired. A meditating variation of the Venus of Willendorf type of goddess figure. For contemplative inspiration; 6 inches tall. Photo by Mark LaMoreaux

TCR: What is your favorite aspect of your work and your life as a full-time craft artist?

RR: The work schedule. I usually get up early-ish, go for a two- to four-mile walk alone or with a friend, hit a local breakfast site (the one with the great pancakes or the one with the gooey cinnamon rolls) for some socializing or newspaper reading, then walk home and try to get into the studio by about 9 or 10 a.m. or so, when the interesting programs begin on National Public Radio.

It gets more pressured as the "show times" approach, but then I remind myself of how it would be to go back to a "day job."

My least favorite aspect is the lack of a health insurance and a retirement program, which I can't really afford yet.

TCR: Do you have any plans for a Web site? Why or why not?

RR: I've just had a friend offer to put a Web site together for me for free. It has crossed my mind before, but now the opportunity opened up, and I couldn't really refuse! My right brain could care less, but my left brain is interested in giving it a try. I hope to have it up in about a month, and I plan to list it under my business name, RRR Pottery. (By the way, the three R's are my initials: Rebecca Rachel Rod. People seem to want to know.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Rebecca R. Rod RRR Pottery 315 Lewis St. Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 882-8168 e-mail: rpotter@turbonet.com

TCR: Where do you hope your life/work will go from here?

RR: My business resolution this year was to do more shows and fairs, and less wholesale. I enjoy working with stores, but I mostly got tired of the packaging -- rounding up boxes and supplies, packing and wrestling the parcels to the floor -- it's like competing in a rodeo. It just got old, and selling the art at wholesale prices didn't seem to be worth it. Even though, for instance, my rattles look similar to each other, each is made by hand and not from a mold, so my work is pretty labor-intensive. This is not a complaint, but I'd just rather sell more directly if I can.

I also like seeing new places and meeting new people. Right now, I have a show scheduled pretty much every month through the end of the year. It might be a little much when the holiday season rolls around, because I still have some good store accounts, but time will tell, as they say.

Ideally, I would like to create and sell more of my larger pieces. I have so many ideas I'd like to try. Perhaps having a Web site would help with that -- having a gallery online. One creative fantasy I have is to create environments related to my spiritual ideas. I also have notions to incorporate poetry with pottery.

TCR: Where do you get your tools and materials? Where did you get your kiln?

RR: Most of my supplies come from Seattle Pottery Supply (206-587-0570; 800-522-1975; Web site: www.seattlepotterysupply.com/). Both my electric kilns are secondhand; my raku kiln is from a kit I ordered from Seattle Pottery, and I made my sawdust kiln.

Noelle Backer is senior editor of The Crafts Report.

JULY 1999:

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