Written by Shlomit Ovadia of JCC Denver
JCC Denver and the Mizel Arts and Culture Center are holding its highly anticipated Annual Ceramics sale November 7-10. Among the list of talented artists whose work will be displayed is Kayle Lamar—an animal portraitist by trade, and longstanding Ceramics student.
“I began taking pottery classes at JCC Denver 25 years ago and have been selling at the annual sale for a decade [plus Latkes and Lights for one year],” Kayle explains. Outside of her time in college as an art major, the JCC is the only other place Kayle has felt at home honing her ceramics craft.
“As a Jewish community center, I always felt like I belonged there regardless of if it was a pottery or yoga class,” the mom continues. “I just met so many cool people [in class] that were either 10 years younger than me or 20 years my senior, it didn’t matter; I always connected with them, and they became lifelong friends.”
Portrait by Kayle Lamar
As an animal portraitist, Kayle earns a living through creating lifelike paintings of people’s pets that capture their spirit in an intimate way that’s not been seen before. She uses a limited palette to help keep the tone of her paintings in a natural realm and untraditionally begins her paintings by filling in the eyes before blocking in other values.
“For me, that’s how I can progress in the painting. I need to have that connection with the animal and who the animal is first,” the vegan explains.
Kayle’s love of animals makes its way into much of her ceramic work as well. An estimated 70 percent of her pieces are either sculpturally decorative animals or functional pieces such as menorahs, bowls, or mugs turned-into-animals like zebras and llamas. Some of her most popular items from past sales have been menorahs shaped as nondescript animals, mezuzahs, and large, sweeping vases. “I just enjoy making them,” she comments of her Judaica pieces. “Celebrating Shabbat and the Jewish holidays, it’s always just been something essential and important to me.”
Recently, Kayle became an instructor at the JCC studio, and currently teaches Mixed Levels and Intermediate-Advanced Ceramics. “Whenever I step in and smell the clay, moisture, and dust—all of it smells so good because of the positive memories I have made there with students and friends, creating,” she shares.
Before working as a Ceramics teacher, Kayle held a longstanding routine of visiting our studio on Wednesday mornings. “It gave me something to look forward to in middle of the week,” she reminisces. “We would all show up with our cups of coffee, saying our ‘good mornings’ and ‘what’s news,’ and then get working. If it was a cold morning and the kilns were running, the space would be warmed up from the kilns, and we’d have the sunlight coming in through that window as we worked and talked and sipped our coffees, getting busy.”
Art from past ceramic sale
JCC Denver’s 2024 Annual Ceramics Sale November 7-10 will feature an array of different styles of work, from hand-building to wheel-throwing pieces. “It’s a great place to find versatility,” Kayle adds of the eclectic collections. “There is something for everyone there.”
As one of the first buyers in line last year, I must concur. I can vividly recall myself and a few other stragglers taking laps around the display like vultures, eyeballing our favorite pieces as we waited for the day’s sale to open.
When I ask Kayle how it feels to part with ceramics that she has poured hours into, she releases a thoughtful sigh. “In that moment, when you see someone loves your art as much as you do—enough to buy it and put it in their home—then it becomes about more than just a sale. You know they see as much beauty in it as you put into it.”
Check out our website for sale hours HERE
