RN: We arrived in Santa Maria CA today to stay with my sister Naomi and my brother-in-law Bill. We were greeted by an army of exotic animals all made of clay and glazed to perfection by Naomi.  Her retirement passion has been ceramics and she has gone “all in”, learning the most cutting-edge techniques and developing some of her own.  Bowls, mugs and plates are too mundane for her- she creates impressive vases, totems, and ceramic figures of animals that are anatomically correct and exquisitely fired.  Below are just some of the impressive works we found.

FE. Much of the magic happens in Naomi’s She-Shed in the backyard, guarded by two animal totems

And throughout the backyard you find more ceramic inhabitants

here up and close

and a bit of whimsy

walking through Bill and Naomi’s house you discover more and more beauty

this here manta ray is coming home with us, so our Falmouth friends will be able to admire it in person!

And here is the artist with a new masterwork in the early stages of creation: a moray eel