16
may 2021
THE COMET
lumps of clay: the craft of mf pottery BY RON EVANS
M
ijanou Fortney is a potter and art teacher based in Leavenworth. She’s the owner and sole employee of MF Pottery, and stationed in a one hundred year old renovated barn at Tierra Learning Center, she produces goods of all sorts out of clay. The polished curves and bold geometry of her pottery portrays a certain confidence and understanding of the craft. And it took her a long time to get where she is. “It took me a long time to get where I am.” Told you. She moved around a lot in her 20s and 30s. Everywhere she lived (ME, CA, MT, UT, WA) she would either find a ceramic studio that was open to the public or take a class at a community college or university, (MSU, College of the Redwoods, USU). “Between having other jobs and starting a family I always found time to practice throwing pots, experimenting with shapes and forms and learning about surface design and glazing. I learned the production side of pottery while working at Fire Hole Pottery in Bozeman, MT. I started there as an apprentice mopping the floors and packing up pots as they were unloaded from the kiln and by the end of the two plus years I was glazing and making various slab forms. Everything came together when my family moved to Leavenworth. Shortly after we arrived, an opportunity to revive a dormant pottery studio in the “art barn” at Tierra Learning Center arose. I opened the studio to the public and at first I offered beginner pottery classes and open studio access to people who had previous experience. When I felt like my own work was solid
enough I began to sell pots at the Leavenworth Farmer’s Market. Through word of mouth and community connections I started doing wholesale orders for local businesses. Seven years later I am still learning the trade and trying to grow my business.” Was it a winding road to arrive at pottery? Were there interests in other art/ craft styles along the way? I have dabbled with many art forms and mediums for fun but working with clay has been my main thing and the only one I have ever made money doing. I have always loved drawing. My notebooks from high school and college always had more drawings than words. I usually bring a sketchbook and markers around with me. A few years ago I learned the basics of screenprinting from my friend and artist Kaspar Heinrici. He and his wife Ali came to Leavenworth for a month long Tierra Arts residency. Collaborating with other artists that specialize in different mediums brings me joy and keeps the creativity flowing. During the pandemic I have been experimenting with watercoloring and painting. What is it that speaks most to you about the process of ceramics? I studied Anthropology in college and have always been intrigued by the ancestry and continuing evolution of the craft of ceramics. I spend a lot of time thinking about how people have been creating pots all over the world for thousands of years, first as a necessity and then developing into an art. I like taking a lump of clay and turning it into something that someone will use everyday. I like when random people tell me they drink their coffee or tea out of an MF Pottery mug every morning. Is there one singular part of that process you enjoy maybe a bit more (or less) than others? There are so many steps in the process of making a pot. Each step requires a type of focus and intentionality. Some steps are more tedious than others. Throwing pots
