Karen Dybedal’s first memory of working with clay was in grade school when she made a maze for her hamster. She always wanted to try “throwing” on the wheel and the opportunity finally came when she went back to college. During her last quarter in 2016, she took both a wheel throwing, and a sculpture class, and she was hooked! Working with clay is very therapeutic! She prefers making functional work more than sculptures because they are something that you can look at, touch, and use every day.

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Nature, animals, and memories inspire her work, as they bring her peace and joy, and she wants to bring that feeling to others. You will see flowers, trees, mountains, or animals on many of her pieces.

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Making ceramic art with clay reminds her of the hills and valleys of life. It can be soft and yielding to your touch but if left alone it becomes rigid and hard. You can make a beautiful work of art only to have it ruined by the wrong glaze. It teaches you to be flexible. You learn that change is OK and most of the time that change makes you and your work better. You always improve with practice. It can be fragile and will break if not handled with care. It teaches you the patience to know when to stop, take a break and come back fresh. Making ceramic at times can be very difficult and makes you want to give up but if you persevere it will be worth the effort. Most importantly, it brings joy!

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Karen hopes that her ceramics can bring you the same joy that it brings her!