Tucked into a little corner of the aged building in the Citadel, the old
Berlin fortification in Spandau, is this little Keramik-Studio where Dorothea
quietly and unobtrusively creates expressions of her art.
As we opened the big door to her studio, it creaked as if
raising an objection to our intrusion. Dorothea
raised her head, and looking at us, gently broke into a welcoming smile. “May we come in?” Evelyn asked, noting that
her hands were busy slowly forming something on her wheel. “Of course, you may,” she replied, still
smiling as she turned back her eyes to her hands, deftly shaping the object she
was creating.
Don and Evelyn began quietly walking around the much cluttered
studio, examining the art objects on the shelves – vases, bowls, sculptures. I have never seen pottery or ceramics being
created. This whole process fascinated me.
I stood a few feet away from Dorothea and watched her intently. She actually enjoyed what she was doing! And this is what she did for a living? (I don’t ever remember me or any of my
colleagues at the legal offices where I worked, smiling while we typed or
edited briefs upon briefs written by lawyers energized daily by cups upon cups
of Starbucks or Peet’s coffee.) But, you
say, she is creating art. She is not an
employee. She is an artist. Could we as legal secretaries, not have been
able to treat the briefs we typed as art?
After all, they were all also creations, by men and women with
JD’s.
Soon a couple of ladies came in.
As with us, Dorothea raised her head, gave them a quiet smile as if to
say, “Welcome.” Then she turned back to the
object on her wheel. There was an easy
way about her that spoke volumes to me.
How could she just quietly go on with what she was doing? Isn’t she curious as to what these people are
doing in her studio? She seemed oblivious
to interruptions. There was calmness about her, and an intense engagement with
whatever she was creating. Was she
coaxing this article into becoming what she wants it to be? I guess she has
learned to focus, and to be gentle, quiet and intent as she created her art; otherwise,
she might break her fragile creations. (I
have since found out the degree of care and precision required for this process
– the choice of clay to use, as there are many different types and combinations
of elements, the need to expel bubbles as they would cause explosions in the
kiln, drying the clay by ridding it of moisture but leaving just enough to keep
the clay workable.) Dorothea’s face had
a look of anticipation as her skillful hands gently caressed this art object
spinning on the wheel. Was she imagining
how beautiful this piece of clay would be on the shelves? Her creation, fashioned carefully,
purposefully and wonderfully.
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