Pam Kostakos holding one of her holiday ceramic creations
Susan Eastman
Life’s journey often takes us on many different paths, and so it was with Pam Kostakos. Chicago born, she grew up in the Windy City enjoying typical teen years that included a very special beau, Herb. When the Vietnam War upended their world, they went in separate directions for many years. Pam trained as a legal secretary, married, and adopted the first of her two children, Jenny. In these early years, Pam discovered ceramics at a community college, and knew she found a lifelong hobby.
Blessed by another beautiful daughter, Samantha, the family enjoyed the bluegrass state, Kentucky, before a transfer to Las Vegas, where she lived for 16 years. After retirement, she followed her younger daughter to Arizona, and Pam moved to Sun City West. On yet another path, an unexpected reunion with her high school boyfriend, Herb, resulted in another move, this time to PebbleCreek PC) in 2006.
By now a lifelong ceramist, Pam joined the PC Ceramics Club. At that time the club met in a small room where the Activities and Patrol Office building are located. The Creative Arts Center was a dream in the mind of planners not to be realized until 2013. Undaunted, this early group enjoyed instruction and inspiration from one of the earliest teachers. Pam discovered she really enjoyed dry brush. Both an enormous challenge and an enormous accomplishment, Pam dry brushed a full Dickens Village. In a continued expression of that specialty, she also dry brushed a 17-piece Nativity set. Currently packed until the holidays, we will hopefully see this work displayed in the Ceramics Club window later this year.
Pam’s other glazed pieces include a handsome giraffe in comfortable repose and an eternity ring reminding us of the cycles and circles of our lives. Pam is grateful for the many friends and kinship that ceramics continue to bring to her life, from young womanhood to this day. Stop by the Creative Arts Center to enjoy her collection of work on display in the Ceramics Club window.
Also keep alert to a class that will be taught in October by our instructors, Linda and Kelli, on the role of brush strokes in ceramic art. As usual, sign-ups will be in the Gallery. More details will follow soon.