Guy Wolff pots honor town’s 275th anniversary

SHARON — Guy Wolff is not just any potter. His pots have become among the best-known lines of handmade pottery in the U.S. Now, in honor of Sharon’s 275th anniversary (this year), the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon has commissioned this master potter to create and hand-throw a special commemorative pot. Wolff (whose studio is in Bantam) will kick off the program on March 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. with a presentation and demonstration at Town Hall, across the street from the library, in which he will show and throw an example of the Sharon Pot.Wolff finds his inspiration in historic gardens and ancient pottery designs. His passion is for the old-world custom of hand-crafting — in which the potter breathes new life into a lump of clay, not with a machine but with his own palms and fingers. Each pot is stamped with a custom seal or insignia indicating the particular event for which it was created. Each is signed by Wolff, making them collectible.The Sharon pots, like the town they honor, will have history. They will be made of New England red clay and replicate a design attributed to John Bartram, who lived in Philadelphia in the 18th century and is sometimes called “the father of American botany.” In fact it was Bartram who, in sending seeds from the New World to European gardeners, introduced many North American trees and flowers into cultivation in Europe. Following the program at Town Hall, the audience will be invited back to the library for wine and cheese and a chance to purchase a pot (they will be priced at $50). The pots will be for sale at the library throughout the year. For further information, call the library at 860-364-5041 or go to the website at www.hotchkisslibrary.org.