Arlana - Maid of Clay

Artist Statement

Arlana lives in Penticton and has been involved in the Arts, both as an artist and in actively supporting the arts in the community for over 40 years.

The flow of color, line and design has always intrigued and inspired her life, from the clothing she wears to the energetic balance of a well decorated room… the capture of a persons soul in the eyes of a portrait and the sleek stylings of a restored antique car… it’s all a wonderful part of our own personal artistic expression. Personal yet it connects us at a deeper level than many even realize. Sharing that passion is an important aspect of what we each bring to the world.

Artist Biography

Arlana graduated in 1981 from NAIT, where she studied Commercial Signpainting (the lost art of hand lettering, airbrush and pinstriping). Her first paying jobs were painting murals on windows in southern California and setting up a Tshirt airbrush booth at a local market. Then her passion for art and fashion lead her to study Fashion Design at Fullerton College and ultimately to working with a fashion designer in the Garment District of LA.

While she dabbles in many creative pursuits, such as; singing, painting, wire wrap jewelry and yard art, her primary and longest running passion is pottery. She was introduced to Pottery when she returned to Canada in 1991, where she worked in a club environment for over 10 years and then went off to create her own Studio.

Being involved in the Arts, lead to a long term membership with the Red Deer and District Allied Arts Council (and later to become their first ED). She was also involved with the Alberta Potter’s Association and an executive member of a local guild at that time. Being involved in the Arts wherever she lives is important to her.

During these past 2 decades, Arlana has been very involved in the exploration of new pottery techniques and in developing her own always evolving signature style. Arlana has always enjoyed spending time teaching and sharing her experience and skills to both students and adults. After moving to the Okanagan a few years ago, and not having a creative space of her own to work from, Arlana is excited to have found her new Studio Space in Art Up Studios @ 94 Ellis Street in Penticton.