Georgia Tenore Jadick

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August 10, 2022

Georgia was a gift. I cannot remember when I started to learn with her, I think that it must have been ten years. I studied with Georgia on Zoom during the pandemic.....she was an extraordinary light. Gracious and generous with her teaching, her... more

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June 23, 2022

From Barbara Kobren-

Some people dance with their feet and others play music with their lips. Georgia gave us a heart full of art with her hands. She will always be remembered in my life for her gift of clay….and a firm strong lip!

With so much... more

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June 14, 2022

I had the pleasure of being in Georgia’s class since 2017. Georgia was a wonderful person, great teacher and mentor. Her class was always so much more than just a pottery class. While she taught us how to hone our skills and make wonderful useful... more

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June 13, 2022

How do you sum up the life of this incredible human in only a few words? Georgia was my friend and I considered her a mentor, although i was never officially in any of her classes. She was so encouraging with thoughtful suggestions and constructive... more

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June 12, 2022

Georgia was like bright sunshine, a breath of fresh air, always cheerful, and had a beautiful smile.
She was passionate about pottery, loved teaching, and was always well prepared for her demos. Georgia had a way of imparting her knowledge and... more

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June 12, 2022

She was one of my first teachers. . .kind, generous and so supportive. She pushed me to grow as an artist, showed me after many attempts on my own how (finally!) to throw something taller than six inches, and encouraged me to join the Artist Community. ... more

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June 11, 2022

Holding Georgia’s porcelain bowl with olive celadon and Charley D White glazes instantly makes me feel her embrace. The craftsmanship is flawless, it’s just the right size, it’s beautiful in a quiet, not flashy way. Georgia was a consummate... more

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June 11, 2022

I loved taking classes with Georgia back when they were held in what is now the Gallery. I learned SO much from her. She was kind, gracious and forgiving, especially when she slipped and fell on some water I had failed to wipe off the floor! I'll... more

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June 9, 2022

These photos were taken at a lunch i hosted for Georgia's 70th Natalie's 75th and Nancy and Ellen's 60th Birthdays in 2013. I found these goofy sunglasses that i made the birthday women put on. It was a lovely, fun, day. Georgia was my firing partner;... more

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June 9, 2022

Georgia was my teacher, friend, life coach, and "pottery mom" -- I am at a loss without her. But she is with me everytime I sit at the wheel, fire a kiln, help a student. I was blessed to have known her, as we all were, and cherish all the... more

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June 9, 2022

Georgia oh Georgia! How you loved life and how we loved you!
Your absence has left a huge hole in my heart and I find myself searching for memories to fill them
Memories of your dish at our famous studio potlucks, of your love of food, eating food,... more

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June 8, 2022

God’s Face Shown Upon Her: The Death of a Teacher

I just learned that one of my beloved pottery teachers died after a year long battle with cancer. I was an active hobby potter for seven years and my first instructor was Georgia Tenore. After a stint... moreGod’s Face Shown Upon Her: The Death of a Teacher

I just learned that one of my beloved pottery teachers died after a year long battle with cancer. I was an active hobby potter for seven years and my first instructor was Georgia Tenore. After a stint as a production potter, I believe on Cape Cod, she ended up teaching ceramics in Portchester, New York for twenty years at the Clay Art Center, which is a marvelous non-profit. She normally taught beginner and intermediate students. That means she helped us learn and master the basics, such as centering and kneading, or wedging, clay to remove air bubbles. If that was not done with care, one’s vessel might explode during the kiln firing.

Clay work is somatic; it depends on the body’s union with the material and when the mind intrudes, there’s a higher likelihood that the vessel will be poorly formed, especially when one is a beginner at the craft. In the 1970’s, when studio pottery became popular with many hobbyists, the action of centering the clay became a metaphor for centering oneself. That idea continues to play a role in American culture, especially in the arena of mindfulness, which is a terrible misnomer. Mindfulness actually is embodiedness—when we are centered in our bodies, the chatter of the mind fades and our best selves can surface more readily.

That is what Georgia was really teaching us, how to pay attention to our bodies at the pottery wheel. The better we did this, the more accomplished were the vessels we could make. There’s an old saying attributed to a Japanese master potter, “show me that pot, and I will tell you the maker.” In essence, a pot records the state of mind—or body—of its maker. It is a snapshot of the birthing process and more precisely of its maker. When a vessel showcases a sense of inner harmony, chances are that the potter was deeply absorbed in the work and there is a special sort of peace that accompanies such immersion.

A great teacher must have tremendous reserves of patience because the student can’t always be receptive, can’t always take in the lessons being offered. Maimonides stated that Jewish law requires a teacher to repeat a lesson “even up to a hundred times” until the student can understand. We shouldn’t take this to mean that a teacher says the same thing a hundred times, although I have sat in classes with such instructors. Rather, it means that the material must be presented in different ways until every student has a genuine opportunity to accept the blessing of new knowledge. George had those reserves of patience and an abiding interest in her students fueled her generosity of spirit.

We have a corner of the kitchen where we store our potatoes, onions, and garlic, our tomatoes, bananas, avocados, and mandarins in ceramic vessels. Most of them I made at one point or another. There is one aquamarine casserole, whose lid unfortunately broke during transit to Portland. It broke my heart at the same time, for that pot had both my hands and Georgia’s imprinted in it. It was my first vessel with a proper gallery and a flanged lid. I took it as far as I was able, which means it was a gangly teenager of a pot. At that point, Georgia stood over me, took my hands in hers while I held the rib, or shaping tool. Thus she instructed me. The charm of that pot owes everything to her participation.

Georgia watched over me and countless hundreds of students.
She was gracious to each of us, shining her concern upon us.
May she now know peace.
© David Kosak 2022 less

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June 8, 2022

I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Georgia. My condolences to her family and friends, and for all of us connected to CAC. Georgia taught me about your "color pallette". It changed my work forever. She will be missed.
Bruce Fern

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Georgia welcomed me into her Tuesday evening classes in 2012 and I stayed for several years. Always positive and supportive and filled with great ideas. I was teaching middle
School art and ceramics at the time and always looked forward to Georgia’s... more

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Georgia was my virtual teacher during the first wave of the pandemic. Our class became the highlight of my week. I didn’t live close enough to use the studio in person, but Georgia went out of her way to order and pick up clay and materials for me.... more

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June 8, 2022

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Georgia was my first teacher when I joined CAC, she was always generous in sharing her knowledge. She made me feel comfortable through her caring and love for others. She will be greatly missed. We need more people like her to make this world a better loving place.

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June 8, 2022

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June 6, 2022

This is a clip from the video when Georgia was honored at Hand in Hand in 2012 alongside fellow longtime CAC teachers Keiko Ashida and Jeanne Carreau.

Georgia Tenore video - Made with Clipchamp_1654547164023.mp4

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June 6, 2022

A few pictures of Georgia in her element as a CAC teacher.

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June 6, 2022

Georgia was a Clay Art Center teacher for more than 20 years. See her in action in a demo she filmed in 2020 for our virtual artist demo series.

01:08:17

Georgia Tenore discusses the importance of drawing as part of the initial planning process for making ceramic lids and stacking pots, as well as being a part of the surface elements of the finished piece. Elements such as proportions, placement, motifs ar...

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