Elizabeth Bentley

Elizabeth Bentley - My childhood was a time of innocence. I spent long days reading in my room where I was captivated by stories of kings and ogres and princesses who were rescued from danger. I would make little dioramas out of found objects but never felt that I was “creating art.” Fast forward to a time several decades later: I was a housewife and stay-at-home mom, raising three children. Money was scarce; my survival skills included recycling and thrifting. During this time, I learned to knit, sew and garden. Those were my creative outlets but, again, I wasn’t “creating art.” Zip through several more decades: I was retired from a professional career, looking for something to fill my days. On a whim, I signed up for a pottery course and fell in love. I loved the feel of clay in my hands; I loved working with the clay to create something (even though my first attempts were awful!); and, as much as I loved it, I still didn’t feel that I was “creating art.” A year or two later, an accident limited my ability to use the pottery wheel; but I didn’t want to give up my new-found love for clay and the possibilities it offered. That’s when I began to explore hand-building and discovered that hand-building gives me more freedom … Freedom to express my feelings though the pieces that I create. Some are humorous; others are more thought-provoking. Freedom to experiment with techniques and materials. During my studio time, I ask myself … what if? … a lot. Freedom to fail. And, believe me, I have my share of failures. But, I also have my share of successes. Finally, I feel that I’m creating art!