August 27, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

No mass production

by Carol Blitzer

W himsical pottery, sleek wooden bowls, dramatic fused glass tabletops, hand-painted screens, concrete waterfalls. All this and more will be found at this year's Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, which will be celebrated on University Avenue this weekend.

Checking out the latest in the arts, be it decoration for oneself or one's home, is the main event -- all while sipping wine, sampling ethnic foods and enjoying music. A major draw is the opportunity to meet and chat with the artisans who have fashioned one-of-a-kind creations. This is not mass-produced heaven.

Expect to meet people such as Satu Viitanen of Morgan Hill. Born in Finland, she traveled extensively in Europe before coming to the U.S. in 1979. Although she was fascinated by making things as a child -- her favorites were dolls made from straw and yarn and colorful collages from old magazines and cloth -- she didn't devote herself to pursuing art until 1993 when she took up painting. Earlier she had been involved in graphic arts and had even started an educational toy company.

Totally self-taught, Viitanen began participating in juried shows by 1996. Today, her expertise is in creating large, free-standing folding screens, mural-sized canvas wall hangings and floor cloths.

Viitanen draws many of her ideas from her travels. "I see certain things. When I paint, things happen spontaneously. I don't 100 percent plan what I will do," she said. The exception is when she takes on a custom commission, but even then she will often request permission to deviate from the original sketch "if something more interesting crops up."

Sometimes inspiration comes from Viitanen's own back yard. "I have a wonderful large yard here at home. I've painted butterflies from the yard. I love nature," she said, adding that she's also attracted to ancient architectural elements, such as the pillars, cupolas and deteriorating walls she saw in Italy.

Six-foot screens today sell for $1,900, up to $6,000, depending on the work's intricacy. Murals range from $700 to $3,000.

Her latest projects are floor canvases that sell from $170 to $690 for a 2-foot by 3-foot mat. "You can really have art on the floor, if you commit to do a bit of work," she said, noting that they will last a long time. She builds them with multiple layers of protective sealers over acrylic paints, then adds six or seven soft wax layers.

"The dirt doesn't get into it; water bubbles on top. They can be used as mats under plants or hung on bathroom walls," she said.

At first, Viitanen was concerned that she could not make a living as an artist, but her husband has been very supportive. She loves art and participating in juried shows. "It's the best thing, hearing the comments and critiques," she said.

Coming to the arts festival is almost an extension of her day job for Mary Mar Keenan. She and two friends own the Verdigris Clay Studio and Gallery in San Francisco where they interact daily with their customers while working in their studio.

Trained as a painter, Keenan wasn't introduced to clay until nearly the end of her college experience. Ten years later she loves creating sculptural forms that are also very practical, such as her whimsical teapots and colorful plates, bowls and mugs.

Always drawn to color, whether from flowers or nature, she says many of her more whimsical ideas are inspired by the children she teaches. "They really have an effect on me. They have a freedom ...that goes with their color and form," she said.

"I'm a pretty happy person and that's reflected in my work," she added.

Often she combines multiple techniques in one piece. A teapot could involve throwing on a wheel, using slab-built forms, pinching clay and pulling handles. She sees teapots -- her favorites -- as both functional pieces and sculptures.

"I never do the same thing twice. I don't know what they'll look like until I sit down to paint them," she said, noting that she often just sits and "spends time with the form" before beginning to paint.

"I surprise myself sometimes with what I've come up with: 'Oh, look at that. That one's cute.' It keeps it interesting for me," she said.

Her mugs sell for $28 to $32, her creamers and sugars for $42 each, and her teapots range from $175 to $325.

Fused-glass artist Carol McCammon of Castro Valley has always pursued art, first teaching at the secondary level for 12 years. Then she took a glass class, followed by postgraduate and private classes to hone her design and technical skills.

Today she takes inspiration from the ocean. "The daily change in tide and sunlight are expressed in each piece of finished glass," she said, noting that glass is in continuous motion "changing at every variance in temperature. I strive to project the movement of water and light in my presentation of fused glass."

A table or wall mirror can take a couple of days to design, plus another two to four days for kiln firing. Before firing, she cuts the glass, pieces together the shapes and layers, then fires them two or three times. A firing takes 18 to 36 hours, she said.

All of her pieces are one-of-a-kind. McCammon designs the metal bases for her tables and has them fabricated by an East Bay metal worker. Prices range from $150 to $700.

"My favorite part of working with glass is the sheer simplicity and sensuality of it. I am still amazed every time I open up the lid of my kiln to see the results of a new creation," she said.

David Sherburne too has always worked as an artist, beginning with painting on canvas in the early '70s. But eventually he got tired of doing two-dimensional works, and about 10 years ago he got serious about working in ceramic and concrete.

He'll be hauling his waterfalls down from Trout Lake, Wash., to participate in the festival.

"I built my own house and did some work in concrete, so I know the substance. Then it just escalated from there," he said.

Over time his waterfalls have evolved into three-piece units, using ceramics, glass and a variety of metals. "I do all the ceramic and fused-glass work myself. It's 100 percent my product," he added, noting that he taught himself techniques, from welding of metal to fusing glass.

Each piece is unique. "I never duplicate the same piece," he said, noting that sometimes one idea can spawn 10 different variations. He begins with drawing, but the designs usually evolve as he's working.

Each waterfall, which is roughly 26 inches in diameter for a tabletop and 3 feet tall, sells for $395.

"My last three shows have sold out. I don't ship, don't take orders. I just do the show circuit. What you see is what you get," he said.

Assistant editor Carol Blitzer can be reached at cblitzer@paweekly.com.
What: Palo Alto Festival of the Arts When: Saturday, Aug. 28, and Sunday, Aug. 29, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Where: University Avenue, Palo Alto, between Middlefield Road and High Street Info: Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, (650) 324-3121 or www.mlaproductions.com. For further information, see first section of the paper.

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