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Annual Clayfolk show comes to Talent Local potter John Dodero removes a glowing hot vase from his kiln at his Jacksonville studio. Mail Tribune / Denise Baratta Thursday Nov 17, 2016 at 12:05 PM Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune @VickieAldous Using a long pair of tongs, John Dodero lifts a piece of pottery out of a 2,000-degree kiln and sets it on a work table. The tall vase is so hot, it glows as if illuminated from the inside by a light bulb. "You've got to like to play with fire to do this," Dodero says. He places the piece of pottery in a nest of paper inside a metal trash can, and the paper ignites, sending flames and sparks into the air. As the glaze on the vase shrinks faster than the clay, a network of cracks known as crazing appears. Carbon from the smoke is drawn into the cracks — giving the vase an ancient, crackled appearance. "It's all smoke and mirrors," Dodero jokes about the instant-aging process he has perfected in his decades as a potter. Dodero will offer his Raku ceramic pottery during the 41st Annual Clayfolk Pottery Show, which features more than 75 regional pottery artists.The show includes decorative and functional pottery, ceramic jewelry, sculpture, tile work, garden art and more. For additional information, visit www.clayfolk.org. The show runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18-20, at Brammo, Inc., 300 W. Valley View Road, Talent. Located just off I-5 using Exit 21, the building is the former site of Walmart in Talent. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Singer Sarah Dion Brooks — who dons vintage dresses and specializes in jazz from the 1920s through the 1960s — will perform from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Youngsters can make their own creations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday in the Kids Clay Area. Visitors can learn about a variety of techniques during artist demonstrations. On Saturday, Dennis Meiners is at 10:30 a.m., Tea Duong is at noon, Frank Gosar is at 1:30 p.m., Chris Borg is at 3 p.m. and Sandy Brown is at 5 p.m. On Sunday, Jon King is at 10:30 a.m., Alissa Clark is at noon, and Michael Fromme is at 1:30 p.m. Dodero began making pottery in 1970, several years before the Clayfolk organization formed in 1976 to promote the work of area potters and make the art of clay more accessible to the community. Early in his career, Dodero focused on one-of-a-kind pieces, but he has since expanded his business and entered the wholesale market by using molds to create pottery, then hand-finishing each piece. Once he breaks a pot free from its mold, he trims off any rough edges, then puts it in a kiln for a first firing. Glazing comes next. He sometimes does single colors, or hand-paints a piece with abstract lines, then teases out imagery like fish or birds. Next comes the dramatic process with the 2000-degree kiln and flaming paper-filled garbage can. A whole room in his rambling studio on a Jacksonville hillside is devoted to packing up his finished pottery, which Dodero ships nationwide. He is especially known for his decorative urns, orchid planters and artistic pots that mimic the rugged edge of a volcano's caldera. Dodero says running his pottery business from concept through shipping is hard but satisfying work. "It's romanticized. People don't realize all the grungy stuff that goes along with running a pottery business. You are crawling under the kiln and packaging pots. But it's good. I'm not doing the same thing all the time," he says. Like actors and other artists, Dodero says potters are compelled to practice their craft. "It's a way of being in the moment," he says. "Usually, I'm always thinking about the future. Some people live in the past. When you're doing a creative process, it makes you focus on the right now. It's an addiction." Nancy Leever, who is showing salmon sculptures and colorful, functional bowls that nest together, says many potters work all year to produce pieces for the annual Clayfolk show. She says everyone from clay novices to experienced professionals can learn something new at each show. "Clayfolk is such a neat organization because it makes people produce," Leever says. "You won't get better at a skill unless you produce. Everyone supports each other. It's fun to be in the company of artists who love clay work. You can learn so much from the other artists and the demonstrations. Artists are there sharing their techniques and talents." Some pottery fans return year after year, often waiting for the doors to open on Friday so they can rush to their favorite artists and get the first pick of new offerings, she says. Even those who make the Clayfolk show an annual tradition will see innovative new work. "It's fun to watch the different artists get started and progress through the years and get a style of their own," Leever says.