Herman, Nebraska potter John Martelle has been working off and on with clay for more than fifteen years. Over the past five years he has seriously focused his energies towards developing lines of functional pots that are designed with every day use in mind. "I enjoy the intimate nature of functional ceramics. A cup that fits well in the hand, that reveals itself a little more each time it is used, allowing the user to ponder not just what is inside but how it was made. I am always happy to visit someone's house and see one of my pots in the dish rack. I know then that it is being used." Martelle's work is fired in a kiln heated with scrap wood from a local sawmill. Near the end of the firing salt is added to the kiln leaving behind a thin layer of glaze on any exposed clay inside. The salt, the wood used for firing, and placement in the kiln all affect each pot differently creating an endless degree of variation. "Opening kilns is always an exciting and tense time. I have a chard pile near my kiln where I discard pots that don't meet my immediate expectations. A lot of my friends take pots out of the pile. A few months later I'll see those pots and see what they saw. Firing with wood and salt can create dramatic results but it can also create a subtly that is easily overlooked."