Meet Susan, One of our Studio Monitors
Susan Pulliam
Education Department, Studio Monitor
What is your favorite thing about the Richmond Art Center?
“The amazing weaving studio. I don’t think there is another resource like it in the Bay Area!”
Susan Pulliam, who volunteers as a studio monitor in the ceramics studio, is a weaver at heart. She fell into volunteering “for selfish reasons,” as she puts it — as a way to access studio hours in the Richmond Art Center’s exceptional weaving studio. But since she also shares a passion for ceramics, she soon found herself loading kilns and learning to mix glazes with Shenny Cruces (the Art Center’s former Ceramics Manager) and works in clay herself.
During her career as an administrator at UC Berkeley, Susan discovered the value of finding activities that balanced out work-related skills – “something physical, something artistic,” she says. She has tackled a number of different modalities, including furniture making and horseback riding, but finds her greatest challenge and sense of satisfaction through her weaving practice. When she moved to Richmond, she was happily surprised to find a weaving class at the Richmond Art Center. “It’s a unique resource in the Bay Area, and just five blocks from my house!”
Beyond the support Susan receives from volunteering at the Richmond Art Center’s facilities, she enjoys meeting new people and taking part in activities like the Holiday Arts Festival. “That is a lot of fun, “she says,” For the two weeks leading up to the Festival, everyone is in the studio making mugs and bowls, mugs and bowls. People here, both in and out of the classes, are so friendly and helpful. It’s a real community.”
Thanks to our volunteer, Susan Arick, for writing this profile.
Tags: volunteers
