Kelly Long
pottery
Most of Kelly Long's work is decorative in nature. Her pieces are hand built using red earthenware clay and glazed using an ancient technique called terra sigillata. She uses batik fabric stamps, handmade stamps as well as her great grandmother's lace doilies to give her pieces movement and texture.
The reason texture is so important to her is the same reason that she's drawn to pottery as a medium. Beyond the aesthetic appeal, it serves a function. She has a visually impaired daughter and works at an after-school program for visually impaired children. A couple years ago, they went to the Bechtler Museum and took a tour. The children were allowed (and encouraged) to touch several of the pieces in the museum. She realized that through touch, they were able to experience the art. She wants her pieces to be the same.