48 | DECEMBER 1 • 2022

Details

The 45th Annual Potters Market runs Dec. 1-4 at the
Southfield Pavilion, 26000 Evergreen. Preview Night,
6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, ($10 admission); 10 a.m.-8
p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, (free admission); 10 a.m. -7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 3, (free admission); 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 4, (free admission). For more informa-
tion, email annualpottersmarket@gmail.com or visit
www.thepottersmarket.com.

H

undreds of innovative
items made out of pot-
tery are being shown
by three of some 125 Michigan
and Midwest artists offering
their work at this year’s 45th
Potters Market being held Dec.
1-4 at the Southfield Pavilion
along the Southfield Municipal
Complex.
The market, the largest event
of its kind in the country, will
be offering some 35,000 orig-
inal pieces for sale with offer-
ings by 55 new artists included.
While Donna Pearlman of
Huntington Woods and Ruth
Weinbaum of Bloomfield Hills
are experienced in appearing
at the sale and have designed
new items for this year’s show-
ing, Rachael Polakoff of West
Bloomfield is a first-year artist
presenting original projects.
These three women agree
that working on pottery offers
them an opportunity to relax
while preparing to showcase
the talents they have developed
through study and use.
The return of the market
after two years of COVID

closure has no entrance or
parking fees except for opening
night and offers a section that
benefits Leader Dogs for the
Blind. At each event, usually
annual, a different communi-
ty organization is chosen to
benefit.
“I’m showing garden
planters, birdhouses, platters,
bowls and small dishes,
” said
Pearlman, who crafts her work
at the Michigan Art Center in
Garden City and additionally
makes acrylic paintings and
collage projects.
Pearlman had established
a career as a special educa-
tion teacher before making
her way into pottery — first
taking classes at Oak Park
High School and then mov-
ing into studies at Oakland
Community College (OCC).
“It gives me such a great
sense of satisfaction to be cre-
ative,
” Pearlman said. “I devel-
oped a passion for pottery, and
I find working on it is very
relaxing. I like the sense of
manipulating the clay. My early
objects were for family.
”

THIS PAGE:
A selection of work
by Donna Pearlman

The Potters Market is
a great place to shop
for holiday gifts.

45th annual showcase runs
Dec. 1-4 in Southfi
eld.

45th annual showcase runs

Potters
Market

SUZANNE CHESSLER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ARTS&LIFE
ART