'Artfull Hands' of Potter and Painter

"We consider ourselves craftsman and artists. That's how we came up with Artfull Hands, the title for our show,” potter Carol Mecagni told Patch. She and painter/jewelry maker Katia Pechonis are featured in a joint show at the The Westboro Gallery that will run through Nov. 6.

Almost 75 people attended an opening reception that was held on Sunday, Sept. 18. Carol and Katia will also meet visitors at the gallery on Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. and Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The exhibit features affordably priced art. Carol's vases, cups, bowls, and mirrors sell for $10 to $100. Katia's paintings on wood, tile and Masonite, and her jewelry, range from $25 to $150.

It Started with a Wheel

Carol's pottery features earthy tones with patterns, especially those formed by dots. She crafts her pieces with a wheel and by hand. Cheryl Lanardis, a guest at the show's opening commented, "The 3-D aspect of the work jumps out at you. The turmoil represented and some of the colors remind me of the beauty that withstands the storm."

Carol's interest in art began during her childhood in Quincy. Her father, who was a printer, would often ask her to draw illustrations for his clients.

Carol went on to earn a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art, and an MFA from Southern Illinois University. Teaching followed at Southern Illinois and in the Boston Public Schools.

Moving to Hopkinton in 1977 with her husband and three young daughters, Carol met other artists and started an art association. Her volunteer work in the public schools led to a part-time and then a full-time job teaching art at Hopkinton High School.

Finding a potter's wheel tucked in a supply closet at Hopkinton High School was the beginning of a great journey for Carol. Until then, she had focused on painting and textiles. She took pottery classes at the Worcester Craft Center. Carol said, "I'd learn a technique and go into school the next day and teach it. The students would get excited since we were learning together."

Carol retired from Hopkinton High School six years ago. She now teaches art at the Hopkinton Senior Center.

An avid garderner, nature has provided Carol with a constant source of inspiration for her art. She said she's fortunate to live next to the Upton State Forest and Lake Whitehall in Hopkinton. According to Carol, “I focus on using my own value system to interpret images from nature.”

Tall Vase with Roses is a beautiful example of Carol’s work. Started on a wheel, the vase has a flared top, either from a slab or coiled piece of clay. Small dots evolve into leaves, and leaves elongate into lines. Ultimately, Carol said, "Petals become mine rather than the ones in nature.”

Katia's Journey

Katia is attracted to bright colors, although she said that her favorite color is black. She likes to paint on huge canvases, but this show features her smaller pieces.

Katia said that her style, which is primitive, is influenced by her husband Paul's Greek heritage. Paul Petronis commented, "When Katia feels overwhelmed by life she needs to liberate her soul and her art pours out of her. Her art is born of love."

It's hard to pinpoint other influences of Katia’s art. Her pieces look African, Australian or South American. Her native Russia doesn't seem to play into Katia's art, but that makes sense. She's moved on.

Now a resident of Northborough, Katia was raised in the Far Eastern section of Russia. As a child, she said, "Art supplies were impossible to get."

It was Katia's faculty for language, including a Masters in Russian Philogy from the Far Eastern Federal University in Russia, which ultimately led to her arrival in the US and the realization of her passion for art.

During the 1990s, Katia worked as a language teacher in Vladivostok. In addition to other students, she taught Russian to Peace Corps volunteers. According to Katia, during the period of unrest in 1995 prior to the inauguration of Boris Yeltsin, Peace Corp volunteers were not sent to Vladivostok. As a result, she was given the opportunity to teach them at Concord University, a prestigious language school in West Virginia. Of her first taste of life in the US she said, "I saw that life can be different. It can be good."

In 2001, Katia immigrated to the US, ending up in Westborough. About a year after her arrival, she saw a bunch of tiles on the side of a road. Katia said, "The next morning they were still there. I thought - what a waste. I brought them home and painted a design. That turned them into something."

Katia joined in 2003. In addition to her art, she works as an interpreter for Benoit Language Services and at in Westborough.

Brotherhood is an interesting painting by Katia that features three conjoined figures. She said, "I've studied Greek mythology, so I know how important connections are." She continued, "These images may be fisherman or hunters. I woke up one morning with this image in my head."

See the Show - , a non-profit cooperative, is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. The gallery is located at 8 West Main St. For more information, call 508-870-0110.