Sherry Guthrie showing the back of her friendship skillet.
Sherry Guthrie showing the front of her ceramic skillet.
Susan Eastman
“Every day in PebbleCreek is fun,” says Sherry Guthrie. And it is her wide smile and easy laugh that brightens her busy days for all in the Ceramics Club. Sherry is an adventurer, exploring new techniques that are often fun to watch. Did I tell you she blew bubbles for three days as I sat across from her? While completely engrossed in her task, she was creating an unusual look for plates that laid these multi-color bubbles on the plates’ surface. It took quite a bit of lung power to accomplish the look she wanted and much laughter as bubbles rose and fell in their “beaker,” a paper cup! The result, success!
How did Sherry come to live in PebbleCreek you may ask? Originally from Texas, much of her adult life was spent in the San Diego area. For 19 years, she served as a consultant in Charter Schools guiding them toward excellence in education. As retirement approached, she and husband, David, explored a number of retirement communities in Texas, where a son still lived, and Tennessee. Not quite a good fit, they headed to Arizona. Charming Sedona lacked veterans’ facilities so they moved on to check out Tucson. In a lovely Robson related area they experienced snow on a visit, an absolute non-starter for Sherry who insisted on a year-round snow-free climate. Onward to the Valley of the Sun of course! Finally arriving at PebbleCreek, it felt like “coming home!” Impressed by all the amenities offered in PebbleCreek, their search ended here in 2019 when they officially became residents.
Immediately attracted to the Creative Arts Center, she found her way to the Ceramics Studio, to dive into unique projects. One of great pride to Sherry was a gift to her son for his birthday. He is an avid Jackson Browne fan, so Sherry used the words from her son’s favorite song “Late for the Sky” and wrapped the lyrics in circles on a pizza stone. What a labor of love!
Sherry used another unusual method to create a vase using cheese cloth “draped” around the base to create dimension and add texture to an otherwise smooth surface. Once fired she painted it with muted neutral colors.
While traveling she saw a pitcher with a Tuscan scene that she recreated on a piece of bisque using paints that typify Italian landscapes. For a large bowl, she combined a paint with crystals and an alcohol drip method, an unusual combination, to create a surprising finish.
A hand-drawn feature piece that many have found dear captures the love of life-long friends. It is a skillet done in black, white, and red, with a heart on the front filled with a geometric pattern. On the back is perhaps the most endearing visual, again hand-drawn, with two little girls holding hands in childlike caricature, a testament to their enduring friendship.
Sherry’s ceramic inquisitiveness and talent continue to delight those who see it!
On another note, our extremely talented instructors, Kelli Frederickson and Linda Galowitch, will be offering a class called “Christmas in July” on July 29. Stay tuned for the registration date with sign-ups in the PebbleCreek Art Gallery. Make sure to join us for a fun-filled day of artistic creation!