Collectors

The white planter with the fanciful designs (top middle photo) is one of Cathra-Anne's from 1977! It is made of porcelain, and the glazing technique is completely different from Cathra-Anne's current work. Jan got it at a shop in Washington some years ago and then got the two basket weave / thistle pieces (left photo) at the Bellevue Art Museum Show this summer.

Two suites of three of Cathra-Anne's work in Gerald's Houston home. Left picture, top to bottom: Kimono, Forest Floor and Texas vases. Right picture: Gems of the Ocean and Dragonfly vases. Gerald said: "I am using the stand you gave me. It helps me see the man o’ war a bit better."

Cathra-Anne's Yucca Jar might have resided on the coffee table or the mantle in Princie's Lenexa home, but a 3-year-old granddaughter's curious fingers and granddog's happy tail made the higher altitude of a tall chest of drawers the perfect spot.

Carolyn is a long time collector of Cathra-Anne's work.

Pictured here is a nice grouping of dryland and open range themes, with the ever-popular armadillo on the left.

Patrick recently became a collector. Seen here are Cathra-Anne's Palmetto and Kimono designs surrounded by Christmas glitter.

Gary has been collecting Richard's work for some years at the St. James Court Art Fair.

One year (before there was a barker-meyer web site, before he knew of Cathra-Anne), Gary mentioned that he had been at a gallery in Kansas City and bought a really beautiful piece made by a woman that he was pretty sure lived in Santa Fe!

Of course, it turned out to be the piece Nita is holding -- a beautiful Bugs of Summer Jug by Cathra-Anne.

Among Richard's work in the background are: Big Roman Bramble Jar, Big Greek Key Bowl just purchased last year, Venetian Hydria, Roman Pitcher and Medallion Orb.

Mary lives in the Houston area. She got the Forest Floor Vase at The Woodlands Art Festival and asked if there was maybe a large, flat companion piece that would be available.

There was just such a thing on Cathra-Anne's bisque shelf, so she glazed it for her and fired it in the next load.

They look wonderful together and are right at home on that wooden surface.

Hardy Eason was working on the mantel end of his master bedroom, aiming for a natural, bountiful, love-of-earth feel. Cathra-Anne's Mixed Veggie jars large and small contribute to that end (right picture).

Love the wall -- a little adobe, a little Italian villa -- yes, rich and calming and historical.

Above are two more Cathra-Anne pots, with Yucca flower pot in the fore.

Mike and Sally live in Colleyville,TX, and have been collecting Cathra-Anne's work for over 30 years. The piece on the top shelf with the purple tulips draping down from the lid (left picture) is in fact a Cathra-Anne piece, from 15 years ago. And there's I Love Italy! Jar in the top right picture.

LeeAnn's breakfront combines some antique pottery, assorted crystal and many of Cathra-Anne's pieces.

She has done a fine job of arranging 85 pieces in a space for 80. She goes to see Cathra-Anne at Cottonwood twice a year, often helping her out with coats and rain gear and BBQ sandwiches!

Cathra-Anne's work in its natural habitat at Tracy Allard & Wayne Balla's Dallas-Ft. Worth home. On the beautiful table in the first picture is Forest Floor Bowl, which the Ballas just picked up at Cottonwood. Dragonfly and Circus jars in the next photo over, and Mixed Veggies below.

What a great touch, placing that Mixed Veggie Jar by the odd colored tile (bottom right picture)! The tomatoes concur.

Richard's pots in all the Wright places! Lonnie and Mary Beth started collecting Richard's work at the St. James Art Festival nine years ago -- the same festival Allison and Jeffrey (see below) attended.

The gorgeous amphora in the stand (top left picture) is the very first Stand Amphora Richard ever took on the road to a show.

The giant ewer (against the purple wall), which is over 30 inches tall, is from Richard's Antiquity series, and the amphora in the wall niche joined the Wrights' collection last year.

The Menzies, from Cleveland, OH, have been serious collectors of Cathra-Anne's work for many years. From top left: Artigras; Lions and Laurel; Poppies; and Thistle. Speaking of thistles... Menzies -- that's a Scottish name.

Ellen's sister and brother-in-law also have a fine collection, of which pictures may be forthcoming.

Andy wrote the following about Cathra-Anne's two Kimono pieces (1st row, right) they bought at the 4th Street Festival in Bloomington, IN, in August '08:

"We look at them and discover and rediscover little nuances which made the pieces even more enjoyable. We understand the design influence of Japan and Kyoto and the magnificent weaving of the antique silk kimonos. We love your intuitive rendering of the interplay of the lining design with the fabric folds -- Super!"

The two shots below are from the Smithsons' Florida home. On the left, the Poppies vase and two Sonora pieces are atop a glass table. The devil-may-care mix of patterns is an inspirational contrast to the shared color scheme.

Allison and Jeffrey, of Louisville, KY, bought their very first piece of Richard's work at the first St. James Art Fair Richard attended nine years ago and have since continued to grow their collection (and the collections of their friends). They recently remodeled their living room with beautiful wood paneling and shelving, as seen above.

The Amphora and Lekythos on either side of the mantel pair quite expertly with the hues of the brick around the fireplace.

The Lekythos to the right (also on the mantel above) stands on a replacement foot. After it took a tumble and the original foot smashed into smithereens, Allison sent it to Richard, who ground off parts of the broken foot and threw a new one to match the angle of rest between the curve of the body and the new foot.

>> Back to the Wrights

John McGraw bought this piece in Scottsdale as a Valentine's gift for his wife, Denise. They live in a Spanish-style home in Southern California, and she thought to put this on a granite countertop.

As it turned out, the bowl and the face tiles on the wall look like they were made for each other. As Denise remarked, "It was meant to be."

Mark sent this picture, saying: "I have cherished four of your pieces for the past 15 years! Thanks to the Internet, I've been updated on your works and your being. Cool. I thought you might like to see a picture of your works of 1993 which continue to bring great feeling to my house. ... Los Angeles has become such a frenetic place ... peaceful creations like yours become more and more important to maintaining sanity, so I am grateful to you."

Thank you, Mark.

These pieces of Richard's are from a Zen series he was working on some 16 years ago back in San Diego, exploring an alternative to the raku work he'd been doing for eight years previously. They are the result of a pursuit of simplicity of form and design, and an interest in lithium and copper carbonate, which is what yielded the marvelous color and texture of the glaze.

Meet the wares of Diane and Pete Kaluszyk, from Columbus, OH.

The granite in their newly remodeled kitchen (in the picture to the right) is a red variety -- unusual and very beautiful.

They bought the big jar you see on the granite counter and the little one at Winterfair and asked Cathra-Anne to make another different one to go in between.

That red granite's quite the striking canvas for the plentiful yellow of the Tutu Jar above.

Yep, these are Richard's parents. They live in San Mateo in a beautiful condo full of artwork from all over the Far East. Maybe their style is Eclectic Asian, even so, Richard's pieces fit perfectly.

Among the pieces on the buffet below are Deco Amphora, far left, and Scarab Amphora, far right. If one goes to Greece and Egypt, this is what one gets. Directly to the right is Cathra-Anne's Rattan Square Teapot.

Cathra-Anne's pots have been vying for real estate in Bill and Challa's Wisconsin home for at least 25 years.

...they've been enjoying an even longer track record in the home of Bill's wonderful parents, John and Winnie Patchett. Let's just say we have a history!

This is Umbria Jar, and it measures about 30 x 14 inches.

Whenever he's travelled to Louisville, Richard has imagined his work would sing in one of the many gorgeous Craftsman homes that line the downtown. Umbria Jar, which lives on Kathy Langston's bathroom hearth, confirms that inkling. Kathy bought this piece at Louisville's St. James Art Festival.

Some of our pieces "in situ" in Sue's recently remodeled kitchen (and great room, where the kitty is).

Pictured are Richard's Anatolian Tulip Teapot, Earl Grey Teapot and Trumpet Garden Seat; and Cathra-Anne's Mixed Veggie Bowl.

Pictured above are most of Cathra-Anne's pieces in Stan's collection. And to the right is the collection of Stan's youngest son and daughter-in-law, Kendall and Natalie Snyder.

Stan wrote: "I love the bowl that I bought. It is in the kitchen and holds my fruit and product (potatoes, onions, etc). ...

"It was great visiting with you the first of the month at Cottonwood. Looking forward to seeing you next spring. "

Next spring it is! Thank you, Stan!

Jan is a second generation collector introduced to Cathra-Anne by her mom, Mary Wall.

The Snyders have a fabulous collection from the last fifteen years (probably twenty to twenty-five pieces between them), including notable teapots and special Cottonwood "Eyes of Texas" pieces.