By Cheryl Childs
Native Americans made horse hair pottery to celebrate the birth of a great horse. Today, Artist Sandy Shultz helps horse lovers honor and remember their cherished horses through the same technique Native Americans use.
She creates lovely pottery for horse owners who wish to remember their beloved horses or to celebrate the horses in their lives now.
Sandy will quickly tell you she is not horsewoman, but an artist who admires horses and understands the connection people have to their horses. It’s that understanding combined with her talent as an artist that makes her Horse Hair Pottery so special to horse owners.
Sandy taught school for 15 years, but she took tons of pottery classes, discovered the pottery wheel, learned about firing methods and honed her pot throwing skills.
Like so many of us when Sandy turned 50 she decided to take her pottery seriously. She left teaching and took a job working part time at a nursery, but also sought out college level instruction and a mentor. She saved money for a kiln, kicked the cars out of the garage and filled the space with her pottery studio.
Sandy was first introduced to horse hair pottery traveling in the Southwestern United States. She brought home finished pieces of pottery so she could research the pottery’s history. She spoke with artists and finally located a book about horse hair pottery. Sandy threw pot after pot to develop the perfect shape. After much trial and error she perfected a basic shape in three sizes. Not owning a horse herself the first horse hair for the first pot came from a client of a chiropractor friend.
Sandy likes the natural feel of the pottery. Her pottery remains unglazed to maintain an earthy, authentic feel and spirit. Once the creamy white pots are hand thrown by Sandy they are reheated in her kiln to 1300 degrees. She carefully removes the pot and places it on a stone for “decorating”. A single strand of coarse horse tail hair is gently placed on the hot pot. The hair strand immediately burns into a black vein onto the pot and the residual smoke leaves a milky gray stain. She repeats the process until she’s happy with the result, making each pot completely unique.
The final step Sandy takes is to use a soft cloth and rub the pot to remove loose residue. With each gentle swipe the pot begins to soften and polish. She then takes any remaining horse hair and braids a “ribbon” that she ties around pot’s neck. Sandy places the horse’s name, the artist’s name and the date on the bottom of the pot.
Sandy feels these pots often give an owner, who has lost their horse, some closure. Often times people will become very emotional when they receive their pots and Sandy has received many thank you notes from those people. Once in awhile the horse owner will be present while Sandy is working on the pot. Sandy remembers one gentleman who was there while she did the pot. “ He was 6’5 and a cowboy,” Sandy explained, but when the pot was finished and Sandy gave it to him he had tears in his eyes. “It was like he had a peice of the horse he could hold,” Sandy said.
Horse Hair Pottery isn’t just for those horses who have gone, but also for those horses that owners believe will be great horses.
Whatever the reason a horse owner has for wanting their horse’s mane and tail hair put it a pot it’s a way of connecting to the spirit of the horse.
She creates lovely pottery for horse owners who wish to remember their beloved horses or to celebrate the horses in their lives now.
Sandy will quickly tell you she is not horsewoman, but an artist who admires horses and understands the connection people have to their horses. It’s that understanding combined with her talent as an artist that makes her Horse Hair Pottery so special to horse owners.
Sandy taught school for 15 years, but she took tons of pottery classes, discovered the pottery wheel, learned about firing methods and honed her pot throwing skills.
Like so many of us when Sandy turned 50 she decided to take her pottery seriously. She left teaching and took a job working part time at a nursery, but also sought out college level instruction and a mentor. She saved money for a kiln, kicked the cars out of the garage and filled the space with her pottery studio.
Sandy was first introduced to horse hair pottery traveling in the Southwestern United States. She brought home finished pieces of pottery so she could research the pottery’s history. She spoke with artists and finally located a book about horse hair pottery. Sandy threw pot after pot to develop the perfect shape. After much trial and error she perfected a basic shape in three sizes. Not owning a horse herself the first horse hair for the first pot came from a client of a chiropractor friend.
Sandy likes the natural feel of the pottery. Her pottery remains unglazed to maintain an earthy, authentic feel and spirit. Once the creamy white pots are hand thrown by Sandy they are reheated in her kiln to 1300 degrees. She carefully removes the pot and places it on a stone for “decorating”. A single strand of coarse horse tail hair is gently placed on the hot pot. The hair strand immediately burns into a black vein onto the pot and the residual smoke leaves a milky gray stain. She repeats the process until she’s happy with the result, making each pot completely unique.
The final step Sandy takes is to use a soft cloth and rub the pot to remove loose residue. With each gentle swipe the pot begins to soften and polish. She then takes any remaining horse hair and braids a “ribbon” that she ties around pot’s neck. Sandy places the horse’s name, the artist’s name and the date on the bottom of the pot.
Sandy feels these pots often give an owner, who has lost their horse, some closure. Often times people will become very emotional when they receive their pots and Sandy has received many thank you notes from those people. Once in awhile the horse owner will be present while Sandy is working on the pot. Sandy remembers one gentleman who was there while she did the pot. “ He was 6’5 and a cowboy,” Sandy explained, but when the pot was finished and Sandy gave it to him he had tears in his eyes. “It was like he had a peice of the horse he could hold,” Sandy said.
Horse Hair Pottery isn’t just for those horses who have gone, but also for those horses that owners believe will be great horses.
Whatever the reason a horse owner has for wanting their horse’s mane and tail hair put it a pot it’s a way of connecting to the spirit of the horse.
Visit Sandy’s website:
http://www.earthandwheel.com
http://www.earthandwheel.com
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