Susan Scamihorn

Sue Scamihorn’s pottery whistles a different tune — and some of her pieces just plain whistle.

Working in the art form for 35 years, she says the best compliment she ever received was when someone told her she has a well-developed sense of whimsy. It doesn’t matter whether the person was admiring one of her jointed clay critters or her small, animal-shaped pottery whistles.

“That comment highlights the uniqueness and attraction that draw the public to my work,” Sue explains.

“The clay translates my wonder, joy, and amazement of the world around me,” she continues. “The way it allows the unexpected to be expressed from my perspective is what captures the viewer’s attention and lets them see the world from my eyes.”

Sue has experimented with clay since childhood, when she tried to form bowls and cups from the sandy soil on her family’s Kansas farm. Years later, she married a potter, whose vast assortment of clay, glazes and tools threw the aspiring artist into sensory overload. She studied art in college and earned a master’s degree in art education, but clay and sculpture have always been her favorites.

“Working with clay gives form to my desire to capture the artistic notions or creative insights we have as children and to share those imaginative moments with others,” she says. “My hands are constantly busy molding, shaping, pressing, painting, tying or hinging.”

Much of her design work begins with rolled clay that is cut, carved or impressed with various items, including lace, leaves, or hand-carved stamps. Sue’s jointed critters and whistles require careful shaping of tiny parts, while allowing for proper form/size, joints, and a whimsical design. After all, it’s not easy to form a prickly spined hedgehog that’s only an inch long and whistles loudly.