SHORELINES

24 a p c s hor e l i n e s.c om | 2016 Vol :3 who discovered her love for pottery after attending a class with a friend six years ago. A Mobile native and Auburn University graduate, Crockett returned to the Auburn area after more than 30 years of moving across the country. A graphic designer by trade, Crockett spent many years working in design, from packaging for Fisher-Price toys to consulting on a sports stadium. Crockett has always had an artistic eye. When she and her husband, a horticulturist, returned to Auburn in 2010, Crockett found herself in "semiretirement" and attracted to a whole new art form. "Design is in everything," Crockett says. "I have always loved to build things, to be hands-on. And in pottery I find the experimentation, playfulness and the possibilities that might be there to be what draws me in." Crockett has a passion for textures. She creates stamps that she uses to make unique patterns in the clay. "I love textures and how the glaze covers each texture. There is always something to learn – sometimes a stamp will turn out exactly how you envisioned, and other times it is the exact opposite. Sometimes it fits into a larger pattern, but for certain you know you will learn something," she says. Crockett is quick to mention she is still exploring her craft, but one look at the lines, textures and glazes of her pottery and it's easy to see she's onto something. That's one of the reasons she has shown her work at Arti Gras for the three years in a row. "This atmosphere is so welcoming for a new artist. The event is top-notch and it is a pleasure to get to be a part of bringing art to the lake community," Crockett says. "It is such a fun cross- section of people; you are always running into someone you know." The proximity to the lake is a plus, too. "I love being around the water. Just listening to it, it calms my soul. I can get away from everything and be serene," says Crockett, whose memories of Lake Martin date back to college days. For artist Doug Wallingford, inspiration from the lake has not only given him art, but a renewed look on life. A San Diego native, Wallingford had been traveling to Alabama for 30 years before settling on Lake Mitchell nine years ago. "It was a treat living on Lake Mitchell," Wallingford says. "I have been a lover of the water and a skier as long as I can remember." Nearly two decades ago, Wallingford discovered a chair made out of old water skis. "I thought to myself 'one day I will do that,' but never found the time," he says. Above: Photo by Ted Tucker – Auburn-based artist Romaine Crockett. "I LOVE BEING AROUND THE WATER. JUST LISTENING TO IT, IT CALMS MY SOUL. I CAN GET AWAY FROM EVERYTHING AND BE SERENE." – R OM A INE CR O CK E T T, A N A UBUR N - B A SED P OT T ER W H O H A S SH OW N HER WO R K T HE PA S T T HR EE Y E A R S AT A R T I GR A S.

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