Karen Fiorino
Karen Fiorino is the owner and talent of Clay Lick Creek Pottery in the Makanda township of Southern Illinois. Her creativity has been evident since childhood, most notably, frequent dinosaur drawings on the kindergarten chalkboard. After studying graphic design, Karen then earned a masters degree in zoology from Southern Illinois University in 1991. Her skills in both design and science were put to use as a research illustrator for the university for a number of years. In the meantime, her interest in ceramics was kindled and encouraged by the work of a fellow artisan. Karen returned to school to study ceramics for two years and by the time she was done, she was ready to set up shop in her kitchen with a 16-inch kiln. In 1998, Karen had a debut showing at the Associated Artists' Gallery in Carbondale Illinois, and has been creating, showing and selling ever since.
Now operating out of full-scale studio, Karen produces a collection of work had includes bowls, platters and mugs made from red earthenware clay. The pieces typically have a white background, decorated with what appears to be an endless pallet of colors. The decorative subject matter includes scenery, flowers and creatures that appear in the forest and in her son's imagination through toys and playtime. More recent design elements are exploring mosaic-like patterns on tall vases. Karen's amused interpretation of what she sees results in pieces that are vibrant, colorful, ever changing and one of a kind. Each item is hand thrown on a potter's wheel, trimmed, and allowed to dry for approximately 1 week depending on size, density and air humidity before it is bisque fired. This stage of firing takes 16-18 hours and is then followed by a 24 hour cooling period. The white background is applied using an opaque, lead free Majolica glaze, and then hand painted with Karen's varied subject matter using a mason stain. The pottery pieces are then fired again for approximately 8 hours, and after another cooling for another 24 hours, the charming wares are ready for the world and all that they may be used for. All of the pieces are food safe, and may be used in the microwave for heating times of less than three minutes. To clean, they may be hand washed or placed on the top rack of a dishwasher.
Viewing Karen's work is more than an observation; it's an adventure in joy and a reason to smile. "Oftentimes, I have no idea what my work will look like until I am done, the designs simply develop while I am working on them. My goal for each piece is that when people come in contact with my work, they will experience positive energy."
Karen Fiorino is the owner and talent of Clay Lick Creek Pottery in the Makanda township of Southern Illinois. Her creativity has been evident since childhood, most notably, frequent dinosaur drawings on the kindergarten chalkboard. After studying graphic design, Karen then earned a masters degree in zoology from Southern Illinois University in 1991. Her skills in both design and science were put to use as a research illustrator for the university for a number of years. In the meantime, her interest in ceramics was kindled and encouraged by the work of a fellow artisan. Karen returned to school to study ceramics for two years and by the time she was done, she was ready to set up shop in her kitchen with a 16-inch kiln. In 1998, Karen had a debut showing at the Associated Artists' Gallery in Carbondale Illinois, and has been creating, showing and selling ever since.
Now operating out of full-scale studio, Karen produces a collection of work had includes bowls, platters and mugs made from red earthenware clay. The pieces typically have a white background, decorated with what appears to be an endless pallet of colors. The decorative subject matter includes scenery, flowers and creatures that appear in the forest and in her son's imagination through toys and playtime. More recent design elements are exploring mosaic-like patterns on tall vases. Karen's amused interpretation of what she sees results in pieces that are vibrant, colorful, ever changing and one of a kind. Each item is hand thrown on a potter's wheel, trimmed, and allowed to dry for approximately 1 week depending on size, density and air humidity before it is bisque fired. This stage of firing takes 16-18 hours and is then followed by a 24 hour cooling period. The white background is applied using an opaque, lead free Majolica glaze, and then hand painted with Karen's varied subject matter using a mason stain. The pottery pieces are then fired again for approximately 8 hours, and after another cooling for another 24 hours, the charming wares are ready for the world and all that they may be used for. All of the pieces are food safe, and may be used in the microwave for heating times of less than three minutes. To clean, they may be hand washed or placed on the top rack of a dishwasher.
Viewing Karen's work is more than an observation; it's an adventure in joy and a reason to smile. "Oftentimes, I have no idea what my work will look like until I am done, the designs simply develop while I am working on them. My goal for each piece is that when people come in contact with my work, they will experience positive energy."
