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The potter’s wheel
By CHARLYN FINN
The lady riding the candy apple red Yamaha 650 V Star Classic on county roads and highways is a lot more than a biker.
While she says “this is the best date I have ever had,” the truth is much of her time is involved with a very creative hobby.
Dorothy Engeseth, currently of Seadrift, is a potter.
Engeseth makes customized mugs, jugs and just about anything that starts with clay.
Dorothy, sporting a Norwegian last name, said farewell to her two daughters in ice-cold Minnesota, and moved to warmer Texas climate seven years ago.
First she moved to Rockport and lived there for two years.
“It was such a busy town,” Dorothy said. “I kept coming to Seadrift. I stayed at a place at Beacon 7 on the bay front. As I was leaving one day I saw a house for sale in a perfect spot in the quiet part of town.”
Dorothy moved in and added a steel barn that would become the home for her kiln, potter’s wheel, wax molds and various clays destined to be transformed into something more interesting to look at.
“I love Seadrift, I have found my place,” Dorothy says.
Dorothy has actually been making and selling her pottery for 16 years. The majority of her sales have been by word of mouth. Her work has been shipped to several places in the United States, Canada, Germany and Ireland.
She said she enjoys selling at Seadrift’s Shrimpfest and the Port Lavaca Art Festival. But, she says, she enjoys special orders the most, because it allows for more creativity.
Most of her work is wheel thrown cups, mugs or jugs. They are lead free, microwaveable and dishwasher safe. They are made from customers’ designs or requests for special applications. They may be very simple or very intricate designs. All are hand-painted.
“The latest and best seller has been the layering of two colors of clay,” Dorothy said. “When thrown on the wheel the colors give the pottery a marble-like design.”
From start to finish, it takes about a month to create these art pieces.
Pottery has absorbed Dorothy’s attention for 16 years. “I started for my own sanity,” she said. “Originally I bought my equipment for my younger daughter. When she went off to college, I used it for myself. The people started buying mostly cups. I donate to things and I get a little business on the side when people see my work.”
Dorothy may have left Minnesota but Minnesota has not forgotten Dorothy. Those residents are still buying her pottery.
“A lot of people in Minnesota into the Redevue Period (Depression Period) like my speckled design and they are my biggest customers,” Dorothy said. “I have standing orders every year.”
While Dorothy primarily makes coffee mugs and jugs, she pretty much will make anything that can be made from clay. Waiting for the weather to be right for her to fire up her kiln are some little leaf-shaped pieces to be used when one lays down one’s soup spoon.
Talking about soup, Dorothy has made a ton of soup mugs.
“If you come up with something, I can do it,” Dorothy said.
One of her favorite pieces was a cup for a young boy with a Star Wars space ship attachment.
Since Dorothy makes customized cups, she will design any attachment a customer desires. Everything that is attached is hand painted.
Dorothy estimates she makes 20 cups a week. It takes a month, though, to complete the cups. One day she puts the clay on her wheel and makes the cup. The next day she makes the handle and attachment. Two days later she cleans up the cup. Two days later she fires it on a bisque fire. Then she hand paints it and puts it on the final fire in her kiln.
Mostly Dorothy uses red and white clay which works well for her marble design. She has been buying clay from Minnesota (The clay comes from New Mexico but is sold in Minnesota). More recently she learned some interesting clay could be purchased in San Antonio.
Dorothy is also considering purchasing purple clay from Colorado.
The attachments begin as clay molds. Dorothy has made fish, raccoons, mallard duck, dolphins, angels, buffalo and just about any design you can think of.
“I enjoy it so much,” Dorothy said. “This is something I totally love to do. I love it when customers give me specific designs but I really love it when customers say ‘do what you want to do’. I do not do obscene stuff.”
When a customer gives an idea of what he or she wants, she plays around with the idea for a while to learn how much detail she may put into the design.
Dorothy does have a life outside of pottery. She has joined the mentor program in Calhoun County Independent School District. She is involved with the Eagles. She likes to travel. She has counseled some AA classes.
“My goal in life is to make a difference in a multitude of lives,” she says.
Dorothy has been riding on motorcycles for 20 years. Her daughters grew up on cycles. In August 2007 Dorothy bought her candy red cycle that is one of her favorite possessions.
Dorothy belongs to the Port Lavaca Cruisers. “They do a lot of things for the area,” she said. “They participated in the toy run for the Harbor.”
If you want to meet Dorothy, you might try to spot her on her colorful bike or you might take a trip to Seadrift. You might love it. Dorothy does.
While she says “this is the best date I have ever had,” the truth is much of her time is involved with a very creative hobby.
Dorothy Engeseth, currently of Seadrift, is a potter.
Engeseth makes customized mugs, jugs and just about anything that starts with clay.
Dorothy, sporting a Norwegian last name, said farewell to her two daughters in ice-cold Minnesota, and moved to warmer Texas climate seven years ago.
First she moved to Rockport and lived there for two years.
“It was such a busy town,” Dorothy said. “I kept coming to Seadrift. I stayed at a place at Beacon 7 on the bay front. As I was leaving one day I saw a house for sale in a perfect spot in the quiet part of town.”
Dorothy moved in and added a steel barn that would become the home for her kiln, potter’s wheel, wax molds and various clays destined to be transformed into something more interesting to look at.
“I love Seadrift, I have found my place,” Dorothy says.
Dorothy has actually been making and selling her pottery for 16 years. The majority of her sales have been by word of mouth. Her work has been shipped to several places in the United States, Canada, Germany and Ireland.
She said she enjoys selling at Seadrift’s Shrimpfest and the Port Lavaca Art Festival. But, she says, she enjoys special orders the most, because it allows for more creativity.
Most of her work is wheel thrown cups, mugs or jugs. They are lead free, microwaveable and dishwasher safe. They are made from customers’ designs or requests for special applications. They may be very simple or very intricate designs. All are hand-painted.
“The latest and best seller has been the layering of two colors of clay,” Dorothy said. “When thrown on the wheel the colors give the pottery a marble-like design.”
From start to finish, it takes about a month to create these art pieces.
Pottery has absorbed Dorothy’s attention for 16 years. “I started for my own sanity,” she said. “Originally I bought my equipment for my younger daughter. When she went off to college, I used it for myself. The people started buying mostly cups. I donate to things and I get a little business on the side when people see my work.”
Dorothy may have left Minnesota but Minnesota has not forgotten Dorothy. Those residents are still buying her pottery.
“A lot of people in Minnesota into the Redevue Period (Depression Period) like my speckled design and they are my biggest customers,” Dorothy said. “I have standing orders every year.”
While Dorothy primarily makes coffee mugs and jugs, she pretty much will make anything that can be made from clay. Waiting for the weather to be right for her to fire up her kiln are some little leaf-shaped pieces to be used when one lays down one’s soup spoon.
Talking about soup, Dorothy has made a ton of soup mugs.
“If you come up with something, I can do it,” Dorothy said.
One of her favorite pieces was a cup for a young boy with a Star Wars space ship attachment.
Since Dorothy makes customized cups, she will design any attachment a customer desires. Everything that is attached is hand painted.
Dorothy estimates she makes 20 cups a week. It takes a month, though, to complete the cups. One day she puts the clay on her wheel and makes the cup. The next day she makes the handle and attachment. Two days later she cleans up the cup. Two days later she fires it on a bisque fire. Then she hand paints it and puts it on the final fire in her kiln.
Mostly Dorothy uses red and white clay which works well for her marble design. She has been buying clay from Minnesota (The clay comes from New Mexico but is sold in Minnesota). More recently she learned some interesting clay could be purchased in San Antonio.
Dorothy is also considering purchasing purple clay from Colorado.
The attachments begin as clay molds. Dorothy has made fish, raccoons, mallard duck, dolphins, angels, buffalo and just about any design you can think of.
“I enjoy it so much,” Dorothy said. “This is something I totally love to do. I love it when customers give me specific designs but I really love it when customers say ‘do what you want to do’. I do not do obscene stuff.”
When a customer gives an idea of what he or she wants, she plays around with the idea for a while to learn how much detail she may put into the design.
Dorothy does have a life outside of pottery. She has joined the mentor program in Calhoun County Independent School District. She is involved with the Eagles. She likes to travel. She has counseled some AA classes.
“My goal in life is to make a difference in a multitude of lives,” she says.
Dorothy has been riding on motorcycles for 20 years. Her daughters grew up on cycles. In August 2007 Dorothy bought her candy red cycle that is one of her favorite possessions.
Dorothy belongs to the Port Lavaca Cruisers. “They do a lot of things for the area,” she said. “They participated in the toy run for the Harbor.”
If you want to meet Dorothy, you might try to spot her on her colorful bike or you might take a trip to Seadrift. You might love it. Dorothy does.
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| Meetings will discuss water works |
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