collected over the years. I used to pick up ice boxes for six to nine dollars, gut the inside and strip off the paint. Now they are beautiful wood storage containers I use throughout the house. I also have a number of old roll top desks.” I admire the Art Nouveau clock that sits on a marble vanity in the foyer, a wedding gift that used to belong to her husband Marvin’s parents. The electric wall sconces are vintage, but not as old as the original version, which would have been gas. From soil to rafters, from past to present, this place leaves you with the distinct feeling of salt-of-the-earth farmers, people who have cultivated the soil, making Napa what it is today. Karen Winograde at her kiln and previous to that it was all walnut trees,” she Karin loves to cook. She tells me, “I think of You can find Karen’s pottery reminisces. “We used to ride our horses through the dinners we like to make, and this inspires at the Grand Hand Gallery, here. In the winter, in the lower plains before much of the pottery I create. I like to craft 1136 Main St., Napa. Also there was a drainage system, it would flood, practical things I would use myself.” I pick visit Karen’s website at Karenwinogradepottery. creating a lake of water big enough for our kids to up a mug, my fingers wrapping easily around com. To see more photos of take a boat out on.” its bulbous base. Shapely pitchers in varying Karen’s house and studio, A testament to farm life, Karin’s pristine white- sizes are perfect for the dinner table or flower go to my design blog: walled pottery gallery was once filled with hay, arrangements. Tall cellars (vented cylindrical pots) inspireyourlifestyle.com and before that it held prune boxes. We arrive store dozens of garlic bulbs and onions from the at a huge kiln, built by Karin and a handful of garden. As I look around it becomes apparent other potters. The top and shoulders of the kiln that Karin’s designs grow organically, depending alone are molded from 9,000 pounds of clay. I’m on their intended use. not surprised to hear that the tight-knit group Karin’s house is full of things that make life of seven potters who share this cherished oven rich. There are stacks of books, pottery, oriental space like to keep it to themselves. For Karin, the rugs, antiques and walls covered in family photos kiln that gets the most use is a smaller brick oven and artwork. Karin tells me, “When we first she uses for salt glaze pottery. The glaze infuses moved out here, we looked like Ma and Pa kettle. salt and baking soda, creating a soft sheen. The My husband drove a truck with a trailer attached, texture of the pottery varies; it could be a stippled carrying the horses, goats, guinea pigs, chickens, orange peel effect to natural stone, depending on dogs and cats, and I followed in a VW van with the type of clay that’s used. our furnishings and the kids. The antiques were The cold shed holds jars of canned fruit and homemade wine A sampling of Karin's pottery J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 3 7
NVLife Jan-Feb 2013
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