Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1302793
What inspires you? What inspires you? My inspiration comes from creating beautiful My inspiration comes from creating beautiful objects that other people find delightful. My worst objects that other people find delightful. My worst thought is for my work to end up in somebody's thought is for my work to end up in somebody's garage sale, or dropped off at Goodwill, which garage sale, or dropped off at Goodwill, which happens surprisingly often to potters, even happens surprisingly often to potters, even renowned potters. renowned potters. What kind of creative patterns, routines or What kind of creative patterns, routines or rituals do you have? rituals do you have? If I have one ritual, it's making glaze samples, If I have one ritual, it's making glaze samples, taking good notes, then studying those samples, taking good notes, then studying those samples, sometimes for hours, looking for something sometimes for hours, looking for something amazing or unexpected. Every step forward I've amazing or unexpected. Every step forward I've made, it's because I noticed some cool little bit in made, it's because I noticed some cool little bit in a sample and expanded on it. Very often, a single a sample and expanded on it. Very often, a single glaze sample will lead to a dozen more. Glaze glaze sample will lead to a dozen more. Glaze development never ends. development never ends. Would you like to introduce yourself? Would you like to introduce yourself? My name is Holly Polich, and I'm a potter who My name is Holly Polich, and I'm a potter who focuses on glaze development. focuses on glaze development. What does "being creative" mean to you? What does "being creative" mean to you? It's the act of doing. I always have to be doing It's the act of doing. I always have to be doing something with my hands. I can't just sit, with something with my hands. I can't just sit, with nothing to make. I've been this way my whole nothing to make. I've been this way my whole life. It doesn't have to be clay. I also love cooking, life. It doesn't have to be clay. I also love cooking, knitting, needlework. Even repairing something, or knitting, needlework. Even repairing something, or getting something clean, is satisfying. They are all getting something clean, is satisfying. They are all creative. creative. Can you describe a time when you first realized Can you describe a time when you first realized that creating was something you absolutely that creating was something you absolutely had to do? had to do? One of my earliest memories is from the first One of my earliest memories is from the first grade. My homeroom was walking to art class, grade. My homeroom was walking to art class, which we had once a week. Some kids were being which we had once a week. Some kids were being unruly, and the teacher said we wouldn't be going, unruly, and the teacher said we wouldn't be going, because we couldn't behave. I burst into tears. Art because we couldn't behave. I burst into tears. Art class made everything better. Art still makes class made everything better. Art still makes everything better. everything better. Hoy Polich 4