Artist Statement – Darlene Fort   An artist’s work is often an expression of a personal experience which may convey feelings across time and space.  The objects of this work are presented for others to view, react, and understand in many different ways.   I find joy in working with clay as it continues to have a mystical quality I can use to transform ideas into my reality.  Experiencing the quiet nature of hand building to the rhythmic pleasure of making pots on the wheel, clay offers understandable relaxation.  My art is play, not work!   Most of my pots are whimsical and communicate life to those who encounter them.  Animals are a continual source of design inspiration which I use to create small sculptures and animal face jugs.  Fortunately, it is an endless creative journey that I travel.             Rock Pottery name came from the middle name of Herbert Rock Fort.   My name is Darlene Fort and my husband, Herbert Rock Fort.  We call him:  Rock.  He is also a potter who specializes in face jugs.  I specialize in making animals, especially roosters.   We live in Harlem, Georgia, which is near Augusta, Georgia.   I am a full-time potter now.  But in the past I was a Bookkeeper.  I have a BBA in Finance.   Rock is retired from a Welding career.  But he is still working strong at making face jugs.     We are a team that enjoys most of the same things.  For several years we bought and sold   other people’s pottery and face jugs.  We admired the characters on these face jugs so much that we wanted to try to make them ourselves.  We attended several classes and workshops learning how to make the pottery.  We have read many books about pottery and we practiced for hours on the pottery wheel.   We both enjoy working with our hands.  Rock has made and sold over 1000 face jugs in the last 4 years.   Every face jug is special in its own way.  There are no two face jugs exactly alike.     Rock signs his pottery:   Rock Fort  or  Rock  or  RF   I sign my pottery:   D. Fort  or DF