Art Inspired by Nature: The Colorful, Botanical World of Artist and Gardener Virginia Wyoming…

Virginia Wyoming holds one of her beautiful stoneware flowerpots, etched with grass-like markings and finished with a multilayered earth-green glaze…

Virginia Wyoming’s studio lies at the far end of a long and winding, interrupted road in Westminster, Vermont. When I say interrupted, I mean that the road literally stops midway, broken by forest. Naturally I headed up the wrong direction. As is often the case with an unplanned detour, I met some colorful characters and animals along the way, including a turkey. Of course one of the things I like best about getting lost, is finding my way again. There’s usually more than one way to get to where you are going. And often the round-about way is far more interesting…

Meet Virginia Wyoming, the subject of this week’s ‘Art Inspired by Nature’ at The Gardener’s Eden. A retired elementary school art teacher, Virginia is now a full time studio artist. She was educated at Douglass College, Rutgers University, initially studying painting and drawing. Later, Virginia became interested in sculptural work and pottery while living in New York. The artist began making pots of her own in 1969, and developed a desire to create ‘useful things’.

After moving to Vermont, Virginia continued to create pottery while teaching art full time in a New Hampshire elementary school. She shows her stoneware pieces in Springfield, Vermont at The Vault Gallery, and in Brattleboro, Vermont at Cai Xi Gallery. Her work may also be seen in her Etsy shop online. Through our afternoon conversation, I discovered that Virginia is particularly interested in modern Chinese ceramics. She has taught herself some Chinese through independent study, and hopes to travel to Beijing.

Over the course of years, Virginia has found a niche for her work by creating flower pots and planters, as well as vases and kitchenware. Her work is quite beautiful, rich in both color and texture. These pieces are also an exceptional value. The artist now sells her work on Etsy in a shop she calls Virginia Wyoming Eclectic Studio Pottery. Her work ranges in price from under $20 for small pieces to a high of around $500 for large sculpture. The very popular flower pots in her Etsy shop are priced between $24 and $54, (for a three piece set)…

Virginia holds another pot with leaf detail…

Virginia’s botanical motifs and natural palette make her work enormously appealing both as functional objects and as works of art…

A detailed flower pot with attached water cache…

Some of the beautiful flowerpots, plates, mugs and dishes in Virginia Wyoming’s studio…

The artist’s work studio is quite small, and although it is a multipurpose space located in the basement of her home, I found it rather cozy. As I entered the building, I spotted a wood stove in the corner, and I could hear classical music playing softly in the background. Shelves and tables overflowing with her finished work lined the left side of the space. To the right sat her wheel and her tools, and beyond, more work shelves lined up with bisque-fired pieces ready for glazing…

The artist’s wheel and tools in her tiny studio space…

Several tables near the studio windows were scattered with works in progress, (including the to-die-for experimental, floral lace plates pictured below). Throughout her workspace and home, Virginia has decorated the windowsills with her own flower-pots; filling them with various succulents, cacti and exotic conservatory plants, many from The Old School House Plantery, (see link below).

Virginia’s delicate leaf ornaments in subtle green and grey hues, and below, some of her newer experiments with botanical imagery…

Virginia’s floral lace experiments on her plates – I love these, (click for closer view)…

One of the finished floral lace plates on the artist’s Etsy shop…

Cacti and other succulents fill myriad flower pots in Virginia’s Westminster, Vermont studio…

After touring the studio, and discussing her process, Virginia and I walked to her glass greenhouse atop the hill. Not surprisingly, (with just a little bit of help), Virginia assembled the structure herself from a kit. In this beautiful space the artist is currently growing edibles, (including leafy greens and herbs), amongst a collection of ornamental plants. Here in the conservatory, I was able to get a peek at some of her larger containers, including gorgeous vessels, alpine strawberry planters, urns and other stoneware items in practical use…

Virginia’s glass greenhouse, (photo courtesy of the artist), is a tiny, botanical jewel-box; filled with lush foliage and gorgeous pottery…

Virginia’s alpine strawberry planters and a gorgeous sea green urn, shown below as the artist rubs the smooth surface with her hand…

Beautiful planters in every imaginable shape and size, all in the most gorgeous, richly saturated colors, fill the conservatory tables, benches and floor…

Virginia’s greenhouse in summertime, (photo courtesy of the artist).

An avid gardener, Virgina comes from a long line of horticulturalists. She considers her planters and garden art a personal contribution to the family’s horticultural history, which traces back five generations. Below, garden sculpture from the ‘Awareness’ series and one of Virginia’s large flower pots are displayed in her lovely perennial gardens, (photos courtesy of  the artist)…

Although Virginia’s work is all quite beautiful to my eye, there is one sculpture series that truly stands apart. While discussing her ‘Crow’ series, Virginia told me about a dream she had some time ago. While she was sleeping, two crows appeared. The birds were tormented and distressed; caught up in plastic, croaking, ‘Evermore‘, (as opposed to ‘Nevermore’, a line made famous by Edgar Allan Poe). In response to the dream, Virginia began creating the ‘Crow’ series pictured below. This work is quite different from her other series’. The crows are hand built from weather proof stoneware. They are wonderfully animated, with expressive features and etched detail. Because I am quite fond of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, “The Raven”, I was immediately taken with both the story and the work. Then, when I saw the amazing birds grouped in Virginia’s autumn garden, I was completely bewitched. The artist has captured the spirit of a cackling flock of crows, exactly…

One of Virginia’s crows in the studio, (photo courtesy of the artist)…

And here, a group of crows from the series congregates in amongst the leaves in Virginia’s garden…

After touring Virginia’s studio and greenhouse, we sat down in her kitchen for a spell. The artist’s home is warm and welcoming – dozens and dozens of her colorful, beautiful stoneware mugs, plates, bowls and cookware line the shelves of her sunny kitchen. Plants from The Old School House Plantery and nearby Walker Farm fill the room with life and fragrance; her lovingly tended collection all nestled within beautiful handmade flowerpots…

Virginia Wyoming, kitchen flower-pot with scented geranium…

Although this visit ended far too soon, I am planning to return to Virginia’s studio before the holidays select some of her work for holiday gift giving. Spending time with Virginia is a real pleasure. Her love of horticulture and her devotion to her craft have inspired a beautiful life in the countryside of southern Vermont. If this brief introduction to Virginia Wyoming has sparked your curiosity, I hope you will visit her Etsy shop, Virginia Wyoming, Eclectic Studio Pottery. What you see here is just the beginning – there is so much more on her site! Thank you for spending an afternoon with me Virginia, it was a joy…

Virginia Wyoming at work in her favorite garden hat. (Photo: VW)

A trio of lovely pots in a tray, (photo by VW), available at Virginia’s Etsy shop…

For Further information about Virginia Wyoming and her work, or to purchase any of her available pieces online, please visit her very lovely Etsy shop here :  Virginia Wyoming Eclectic Studio Pottery

For information on the beautiful conservatory plants featured, please visit The Old School House Plantery online at Estsy shop, Eclecticasia

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Article and photographs, (exceptions noted), are copyright 2009, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

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