Pottery work and mixed-media collage may be contrasting mediums, but ceramics teacher Marla Seibold explains that the polarity between the two makes her evermore passionate to create both.

“Ceramics is very straightforward. I get much more creative with the glazing and layering different glazes and trying different glazing techniques, but my painting and collage process is almost more like problem solving,” Seibold explains. “I’ll take some vintage papers, cut them up, lay them down and use that to help inform how I make the next mark and the next mark.”

The emphasis on movement, balance of color and shape are what Seibold aims to visualize when creating her own art pieces. Currently Seibold is a collage artist, painter, and ceramicist, but she notes that it has only been 10 years since she began painting and about five since she has started to experiment with collage. She began her career by teaching and producing pottery for a studio, eventually selling her own work around the Midwest and in various galleries.

“When I started teaching ceramics, I was doing it everyday, and would always have a holiday art sale which I have kept up with through my whole career,” Seibold explains.

After Seibold began to teach full time, she was able to reflect her artist process to her students. Evanston has also given her the opportunity to bounce ideas off of ceramics teachers in the Midwest area.

“I am able to go to the ceramics conventions, and through that I am able to meet a lot of teachers and other professionals, and I am able to learn more and bring it to my students,” Seibold explains.

Seibold creates her art through an Evanston based, semi-annual exhibit created by Julie Cohen and Andy Good called the ARTRUCK. The exhibit showcases local artists. The works are hung in two UHaul trucks to be showcased.