Meet the artist, pottery featured at East Fork Gallery

The East Fork Gallery is featuring Reno artist Dale Pappas at the July reception, noon to 5 p.m., Sunday.

Pappas crafts practical and unique pottery at his home studio in Reno.

Pappas went to school in Elko. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps where his service took him to Vietnam in 1965-67. His enlisted tour of duty ended in 1970. He went to college at the University of Nevada, Reno. Upon graduation, he returned to the USMC in the reserves as an officer until 1998 when he retired as a lieutenant colonel. He began work for the Washoe County Sheriff's Office and retired in 1997 as sergeant.

While working with the sheriff's office he walked into a pottery studio. It was love at first touch when he sat down at a wheel with a 1-pound lump of clay. Utilizing adult education classes, workshops, independent studies under Carol Spahr, Jack Troy of Pennsylvania and Warren MacKensey of Minnesota, the potter was molded into the artist of today. His love of clay was so strong that after working the midnight shift at the sheriff's office, he would head to the university studio and satisfy his thirst for clay. He knew he had a long way to go, but was determined to learn all he could.

At his first craft fair in 1997 he sold $500 of his blue-and-white signature color. He features six glazes currently, down from the 12 of previous years - using "angel eyes" and red, the blue and white shino and a purple blue. He makes high-fired functional pottery that can be used every day. The pottery is microwave, dishwasher and oven safe. The glazes are safe to eat from as he uses no lead or barium glazes.

Tours of his studio are done by appointment only. The tour includes a demonstration of the process that it takes to produce his art work. He has a complete studio with a throwing area, clay storage, glaze storage and glazing area. The kiln is in a separate building. The normal time that it takes to fire a kiln load is between 10 to 10 1/2 hours.

Sharing his love of clay is his wife Sally who works with him in the studio when not at her daytime job. Finding time to play handball, fly fish, and still produce pottery for shows and galleries for Lake Almanor, Elko, Reno Wild Flower and the Reno River Senior Center keeps him busy. Contact Dale at 677-1103.

He crafts high fired functional creations in many colors that can be used every day. The pottery is microwaveable, dishwasher and oven safe. Tours of his studio are available. Come check out his designs and meet the artist himself at the East Fork Gallery July reception. Light refreshments will be served.

East Fork Gallery is located in The Record-Courier Center, 1503 Highway 395, Gardnerville. For more information call 782-7629.