Linda's Yellow Door Studio at The Cumberland Shop

“I call this, ‘Love Blooms When The Heart is Ready'.” Linda stood there describing her piece, and tears pricked my eyes as I looked at the beautiful clay sculpture totem in front of me; the 2 love birds close together perched on a full, red heart. It spoke to me, as it was a reflection of my own story of love blooming when my heart was ready, and being only a few weeks away from my own wedding at the time. Standing in the studio of a woman I barely knew, I was struck by how something she created had pulled that emotion out of me. I began to realize that there was much more to her work than pieces of clay crafted into finished products. To appreciate and value Linda’s work is to appreciate and value Linda as an Artisan – her pieces are born from who she is and her experiences. I’d like to take you on a similar journey of discovery, amazement, and appreciation for Linda of Linda’s Yellow Door Studio, and the amazing pieces she creates.

Linda adding the finishing touches to "Love Blooms When the Heart is Ready"

As part of the marketing team for The Cumberland Shop, I had been asked to go to Linda’s studio to shoot some video footage of her working. Her totems and various pieces in the shop had taken me by surprise at first glance. I had never seen clay sculptures portrayed that way, some with such bright colors and quirky characters; others with darker colors and deeper themes. For me, it was new and surprising. However, this has grown to be a theme I’ve noticed and now look forward to in my interactions with Linda – you may not know what to expect, but you can certainly expect to be surprised.

I was warmly welcomed into her studio with its cheerful bright yellow paint around the frames of her doors and windows; the line-up of a variety of pieces she had created here and there, and the motion picture soundtrack she had playing in the background. It was a comfortable space, a safe space, a creator’s space.

A part of Linda's Yellow Door Studio

One of the pieces I noticed right away was a baseball sculpture. Sitting among her quirky birds and fantastical creatures, this felt almost out of place. I asked her about it and came to find that she had spent 12 years as a baseball coach and umpire for her sons’ little league teams, and this sculpture was her way of remembering that time. In later conversation, I learned that she had stepped in to keep a protective watch over her sons after a scandal had come to light in their town. She volunteered, showing up only to help, but soon transitioned into the role of coach and umpire. Quite surprising and quite unexpected, wouldn’t you say? By the way, I love the name of the sculpture – “End of the Season” – a reflection that one day, all seasons in life come to an end.

Individual elements of "End of the Season"

"End of the Season"

After learning that Linda has earned several awards throughout her career as a sculptor, you would think that her work in clay is a skill she has been honing for years. In truth, Linda only began studying clay after retiring in 2016 from a profession in fundraising. She had always been creative, but painting had been her outlet. After retiring, Linda said it was time to find a new tribe. She took a ceramics class at a community college and studied under nationally-recognized ceramic artist Lindsay Pichaske. As Linda describes it, “from the moment she put the clay in front of me and my hands went into the clay, that was it. I wondered why I hadn’t done it all along.” Once again, Linda had “fallen” into something unexpected, and this was a new chapter for her as a creative.

"Gertrude"

One of the things I love about Linda’s pieces is the quirkiness and unexpectedness of what she creates. If you ask Linda, this has been a long time coming. Working with clay has freed her to create, with no expectations. She realized that when she painted, she often painted to the “should” rather than the “could.” Her paintings, while an expression of her own creativity, often bore the societal expectations of what they were “supposed” to be, or what “should” be done with paint. However, as a novice in clay, there were no expectations and Linda didn’t know what was and wasn’t possible, so she simply played and created, as a child does when they given a crayon and paper.

 Linda lightheartedly recalled a time when she made a bird in her earlier years of learning clay that was too large to be supported by the legs she had made for it. She entered it into a show and it miraculously stood long enough to be displayed, but crumbled by the time she brought it home that night. Had she known this before creating the bird, she wouldn’t have created it. That didn’t bother her, though, because she created fearlessly, and she learned that when you are fearless, you actually learn more through the risks you take. Taking risks can lead to mistakes, but Linda chooses not to look at anything as a mistake. She believes we were all made to create, and what we create is unique and purposeful.

 

From adorable wide-eyed owls to shy little birds; from fairy houses to thematic sculptures; Linda loves to create, and share that love with others. Before the pandemic, she hosted a monthly “Women’s Creative Corner,” a safe place in her studio for women creators to come together and learn from each
other. Along with that, she also loves to teach clay and encourage creativity in other people. Although the pandemic has halted these endeavors, she looks forward to the time when she can start them back up.

As we were getting ready to film the last step of Linda’s totem assembly, she again referenced her “Love Blooms” sculpture. “The two birds didn’t actually start out that close together. Each time I revisited them to continue working on this piece, they had grown closer and closer together and now, they are almost kissing.” As with most of her work, Linda herself is often surprised at how the pieces take on their own life, shape, and meaning. If Linda is surprised, we can expect to be so, too. Each piece she creates is a unique work of art, and we are proud to carry some of them at The Cumberland Shop. In closing, I’d like to leave you with Linda’s Artist Statement. I hope that as you read it, you’ll gain an even greater insight and appreciation into Linda as an Artisan, and the work she creates. – Laura Baum, Marketing for The Cumberland Shop

 

Artist Statement: Linda “ifigenia” Gottfied, Linda’s Yellow Door Studio

 

“Inspiration must find you working.” – Pablo Picasso

Picasso sums up how I approach my creative process. I go into my studio and without expectation, begin to create. Even when I’m not feeling particularly inspired, I find my energy shifts once my hands touch clay. I first experienced this artistic inclination in second grade. My teacher at School No.13 in Paterson, New Jersey allowed me to paint while the rest of the class read aloud. Ms. Lauragay saw something in me and gave it space to grow. (I still recall several of the paintings I produced.) Today, I find being in touch with my inner child as mystical as it was back then. I am transported to a place without limitations, time, or any manmade constructs. My process is playing in clay with intention to form something beautiful and life affirming. It is my hope my work will bring something new into the world; a creative spark that would not otherwise exist except for the fact I played well with clay.