Since receiving his degree from Clark College in 1972, Dave Deal has had
only one job that didn't involve a pottery wheel. For eight days, he worked
as a logging choke-setter. He has stuck to ceramics since then. Along with
his wife, Boni - who does most of the drawing and surface design of the
vessels - and their children, Dave has made his living out of clay.
Their home in the WA state Cascade Range, set over a half-mile away from
the road and surrounded by tall fir trees, allows them to do their work in
peaceful surroundings. Or, as quiet as it can be with three children - Sarah,
15, and Michael, 12, living at home, and Gabriel, 21, at college . The Deals
live without electricity. Propane lamps in their shop, which is a separate
building from their home, enable them to work in the evening.
Raku pottery, which originated in 16th century Japan, involves taking
the pots from the kiln and setting them into a container of grasses and
leaves. This exposure to the smoke and flame gives raku its crackled glazes,
smoky tones and metallic accents. The woodsy surroundings are ideal for the
Northwest images the Deals incorporate into their pottery designs.
Their work is on display at The Real Mother Goose in Portland, Oregon
and the Deals receive orders through this shop. The Deals' work currently
sells for as little as $50 for a pot to as much as $2,500 for a series
of large wall tiles. They also sell through The White Bird Gallery in
Cannon Beach, Oregon; EarthenWorks gallery in Port Townsend, WA; Sunbird
Gallery in
Bend, OR; Northwest Craft Center at the Seattle Center, Seattle,WA; and
other galleries. The Deal's have have been in many group and solo exhibitions,
primarily in the Pacific Northwest. Nationwide, their work has been shown
in
Philadelphia, Cleveland, Baltimore, and New York City. |
