Hadar Jacobson

in 2009, Hadar Jacobson taught a class for the Metal Clay Alchemists of San Diego County. Pattie Phipps, a member of the Alchemists and a fine artist in her own right shared with us her experience in Hadar's class.

The Artist’s Hands

While attending art school as a young girl, I became transfixed with other artist hands, especially those that worked with charcoal and clay. I loved that the charcoal and clay would be everywhere. On their faces. On their elbows. On their tattered denim shirts, baggy white Ts and dungarees. In their hair. Even on their toes. But most notably, on their hands. It didn’t matter that they may be stained with the consequences of the materials. They lived and breathed their medium. Before college I had only worked with pencil and ink. Seldom did I ever experience having to use my fingers to create shadows or shape any 3-dimensional objects. Pencils were by far a much cleaner form of art.

Once I entered into the world of fine arts, I saw what my hands were meant to do; become an extension of expression beyond my fingers. All the while finding new freedom I never realized those ten digits would offer so much to my work. So it was that I realized Hadar’s hands were like those of the artists I had been so enthralled with in art school. I felt I’d stepped back into an old familiar scene. I was again witnessing the energy of pure artistic expression at work.

Just when I thought there was not much more to learn beyond hollow beads, boxes, bails and bezels in fine silver clay, Hadar introduces us to her powdered bronze and copper clays. Offering us with yet more possibilities in which to express ourselves. Little did we know, that we had bought the ultimate “E” ticket which allowed us entry into Hadar’s magical kingdom of product and techniques.

Watching her handle the clay; rolling it without any guides to register a consistent depth and draping the clay like a soft piece of velvet cloth sent us moaning with oohs and ah-h-h. At other times using two or four popsicle sticks, a clay shaper, and a wet finger; left us little room to breathe as she created the most remarkable pieces of jewelry in about as much time as it took us all to blink our eyes. I kept asking myself, “How does she do that so easily?” It’s her hands, I thought. She just lets the energy flow and doesn’t worry about anything else. She becomes the clay and does what clay does best: bends, molds, drapes, cuts, extrudes and impresses every detail.

To say we were all overwhelmed would be putting it mildly. Picking out which projects we wanted to learn was not hard. We wanted to be taught them all! Scattered amongst us were some very seasoned teachers who are published and accomplished as well. However, that day, I think we all transcended our experience levels and became like rolls of extra absorbent paper towels soaking up every morsel of spilled information that Hadar so generously offered.

Only being allowed two pieces to fire, I quickly made my choice to which would be my favorite. But didn’t I want to make everything? Of course I did. But could my hands work as fast as Hadar’s? I doubted it.

The room got very quiet and the creative energy flowed into each of us. We all became one with the clay anticipating with excitement what tomorrow’s phase would bring. The next day the room was filled with electricity as each one of us displayed our creations fresh out of the kiln. The next phase for some would be adding silver embellishments, others just perfecting final finishing techniques. Again our work made its transformation into wearable objects that we donned immediately.

At the end of day, as I gazed at my hands, fingernails, arms, and apron now darkened with copper and bronze clay, I was reminded of the many hands that I was so enamored with in art school, and realized that this was, for me, like winning the lottery: rich with new knowledge and hands that transcended and became one with the clay!