Walk about: Why Louise Harter Gets Fired up About Pottery

Earth, air, water, fire: in the hands of Louise Harter of Bethany, Connecticut, the four elements become works of serviceable art: pottery that is both functional and beautiful.

Harter begins at the beginning: on her rural property she climbs into an old cast iron bathtub and creates clay with her bare feet and hands. It dries in a rabbit hutch before she transforms this raw material into bowls, garlic jars, cups, plates, platters...on the pottery wheel in the basement of her home. She built both her home and her wheel, the latter of which is powered by the strength of her legs.

The greenware rests on shelves in her basement and air dries until Harter fires her kiln, a biannual event involving friends. She built the kiln, which she first fired in 2000, after taking a course on the subject, building one with her class, and working with other kilns. Just as every other step of the process entails Harter's complete effort, so does the the three cord of wood the kiln requires for the firing. She cuts it and stacks it herself.

Though she says she didn't count the number of pieces that went into the kiln for the May 12 firing, she estimates she fired about 500 pieces of her work and her friends' work.

Filling the kiln is no small task. Over several days, Harter finds the just-right place for each piece. She determines where to place them according to the temperature in the kiln at different points, the size of the pottery, and the effect on the glaze she wishes to achieve.

Harter is a woman with a peaceful heart. Visiting her on her property at different times during this process, I was struck by the ease and humor with which she approached each task. Though her livelihood depends on all going well with the firing, Harter finds time to enjoy her friends' company, eat lunch, and even sneak in a little rest.

While Harter was stoking the fire on May 12, I asked her what inspired her to do everything so completely--after all, she is invested in every step with her body, mind, and soul. She said she liked the look and texture of historical pots and wanted to recreate that in her own work. "It was such hard work," Harter said, "I wanted to find the best pots I could make and give it a level of effort that made it worth all the work."