Artist Spotlight Exemplifies Zoomorphic Pottery
Christina Praggastis
Staff Writer
Published December 6, 2018
Susan Hoover is a 61-year-old ex-pilot who loves taking ceramic classes here at Green River alongside her daughter, Katie Hoover.
Hoover started taking ceramic classes because of Katie who was in running start and took a ceramics class. “I was one of those meddling moms that helped way too much whenever one of my three kids had an art project for school,” Hoover said. Katie recommended the class thinking her mom might like it and now her mom’s been taking classes for a whole year now.
Ceramics is the art or skill of producing objects by shaping pieces of clay that are then hardened by baking. The need for ceramics, or pottery, in the olden days used to be a functional need for day to day life. Pots were made to use as water jugs, transporting food, storing food, and sometimes and hiding places if the pots were big enough. Contemporary pottery is “less functional,” says Hoover. The designs are more elaborate and complex because they are no longer needed day to day, but are used as decorations or plant pots.
Hoover’s first impression of ceramics was fascination; she said that she could not learn fast enough. “I have ideas in my head, but do not have enough knowledge to execute,” Hoover said. “I am working on this.”
“My son is into digital art. It has been fun watching him,” said Hoover. “I myself am completely computer challenged.” In terms of modern day art and technology versus the traditional and old ways of art forms, Hoover likes both.
Hoover hopes to become an artist that is: “impracticable, whimsical, and after that, I have no idea.” Hoover has created just shy of 20 ceramic pieces while taking classes at Green River. She has taken four classes so far and in terms of her future in art, she says “I would like to learn more.”
Hoover’s school background started at the University of Washington in Seattle. She took one drawing class there as well as trying for premed and engineering before she got burned out and joined the workforce with an aviation background.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needed air traffic controllers so they hired her and sent her to Fairbanks Alaska where she resided for four years. After those four years, she eventually made it back to Seattle where she spent the rest of her career at Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). TRACON is FAA facilities that house air traffic controllers who use radar displays and radios to guide aircraft approaching and departing airports as well as aircraft flying over those air spaces.
With three kids, three dogs, and a husband, Hoover feels as though all of this just happened to her. “It was all good. But what I was really good at all the time was art, and it never really got the time and effort it should have. I guess later is better than never. We will see where this takes me…Right now I am just doing pottery, but as time goes on I’d like to try other [forms of art.]”
Here is a short statement from Hoover about her art and how she views it. “I am really just learning, there is a lot I do not know. I think a lot of my art is an exercise in problem-solving. How can I take an ugly form and make the viewers eye move around the piece? I want them to see movement, maybe emotion. Humor would be a good addition if I could accomplish it. I want them to not notice the imperfections. A good example of this is my Giraffe Pot, (Ugly Pot Disguised). When I put this pot together, I think everyone in the room at the time said yes that is ugly. As it stands now, you don’t notice the awkwardly shaped pot. I love sculpting; I’m not sure where this came from. I think I have been doing it in some way or another all my life. Just call me a late bloomer.”
Here is a 61-year-old who had to place art on the back burner for a long time, but through her work, she shows us that it is never too late to follow your passion.
