Angela Fina is a wonderful ceramic artist and she has been an exceptional Penland instructor. A group of her friends are working together to establish The Angela Fina Clay Studio Fund at Penland in her honor. Rev. Dr. Constance M. Baugh, who is organizing this effort, wrote this letter to a group of Angela’s friends and students:

“Angela has been a full time, self supporting potter since 1979, a rare and difficult accomplishment. She works in porcelain, specializing in beautiful, colorful glazes. The chemistry and formulation of glazes has been her lifelong pursuit. The themes in Angela’s work are simplicity of form and practical utility. In addition to being a dedicated artist, she is a devoted and generous teacher. During her career Angela has taught workshops at all levels of experience in nearly every aspect of ceramics:  throwing, glazing and glaze formulation, kiln building, and firing. She has published in ceramics magazines and won several awards. She served for eleven years on the Board of Directors for the National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts (the only national ceramics organization in the country) and was featured in their one-hour documentary DVD series on master potters.

“This fund is being established at Penland because in Angela’s own words, ‘Penland is my true heart’s home.’  She has taught at Penland fourteen times, including four semester-long Concentrations. She spent a year there from 1977 to 1978 which she describes as ‘the happiest year of potting in my life.'”

The goal of the fund is $10,000 to be used for capital improvements for the Penland clay studio. If you would like to join Constance and other friends of Angela Fina in honoring her this way, you can send a check, marked Angela Fina Fund, to Penland School of Crafts, PO Box 37, Penland, NC 28765 or you can donate online here. Be sure to write Angela Fina Fund in the Gift Information field. Thank you, and thanks, Angela, for your work, your teaching, and your gracious presence at Penland for so many years.