Local potters build sense of community with mug exchange

More than 30 potters from Westmoreland, Allegheny and Somerset counties gathered in Clair Witkowski’s Ligonier home this month, each holding a unique ceramic mug that would be exchanged with another.

The mug exchange was organized by Witkowski and Marine Ruth, volunteers at the Greensburg Art Center in Hempfield, to build community among local artists.

“In pottery, it’s funny,” said Ruth, of Greensburg. “It’s a group of people who are artsy or interested in art. In that group, a lot of people are introverts, but as a potter, you need community.”

Many of the potters live and attend art shows in the same region but did not know each other, Ruth said. As the potters mingled and asked questions about how each mug was created, they learned new techniques and made connections with their fellow artists, she said.

The exchange included potters of all skill levels, including those who practice at their own ceramics studio to those who occasionally take community art classes.

“Nobody came expecting to have the best mug,” Ruth said.

Rather, everyone appreciated the time that was put into the art they received, she said.

Witkowski, who created a mug for a woman who enjoys foraging for mushrooms in the woods of Bear Rocks, adorned his piece with hand-painted mushroom designs. Others created a mug in their own style to introduce their artistic personality to the group, Ruth said.

Ruth and Witkowksi hope the exchange grows into an annual event that collects donations for a local charity. The first year was a success, Ruth said.

“They really went all out,” Ruth said of the potters’ work.