| Artist uses clay to mold her work BY JL WATSON |
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| Ikebana vases; intricate little boxes, perfect for hiding pocket money; mermaid bustiers - artist Andrea Perisho pounds, rolls and sculpts her clay into works both whimsical and earthy. The Cape Coral artist has early memories of getting hands muddy in her native Oklahoma but it wasn't until she she was an adult that she let her art play a key role in her life. "I started pottery as a hobby 20 years ago," she said. She lived in Oklahoma at the time, and later moved to Texas, where she continued to hone her craft. September 11, 2001, changed her perspective and her priorities. "Life is too short not to do something that you love," she said. "I got the wheel out and took some great workshops." She stayed with it and through a series of serendipitous events, she took her art to new heights after she moved to Cape Coral five years ago. |
"I gradually began building my body of work," she said. Today, she is part of a cooperative of artists at Harbour View Gallery at Cape Harbour, and sails with her husband on weekends. Her work ranges from small fan pulls to larger stand-alone vases and wall hangings. She has a studio in her house and when she's not taking her turn running the gallery, is working on new material. She specializes in raku, stoneware and low-fired pieces. "I've been working on a lot of stoneware," she said. Perisho said she wants to continue to create the angels, crosses and vases she is already adept at, while adding new pieces to her collections. "When I'm working with clay it's almost a meditation," she said. "It's a relaxing place I can go in my mind." |