"I put off taking that class for as long as I could," Schwab
said, chuckling. "I was afraid of it. I'd never even so much as seen
a potter's wheel. But I ended up enjoying it so much I took more (classes)."
Fearing that a struggling artist's life wouldn't be enough to sustain
him, his wife Dorothy, and their three children, Schwab put ceramics on
the back burner and taught elementary school in Portland. After five years,
the need to create came bubbling to the surface.
Seeking the counsel of his former ceramics instructor, Schwab headed off
to New York to get his master of fine arts degree in ceramic art. Following
graduation, he landed a job to start a ceramics program at then-Marylhurst
College, selling his own wares during the summer at craft shows and galleries
across the country.
Three years into teaching at Marylhurst and doing some moonlighting at
Portland State, Schwab decided to take his work to the streets full time
- to art fairs, market squares and galleries in places such as New York
and Chicago - for the next 18 years.
So how is that struggling artist thing, anyway?
"You have to like (ceramics) a lot," Schwab said with a laugh.
"You'll never get rich but the work is so rewarding. That's why people
work with clay."
Dorothy supported his traveling artist phase until he was ready to again
pursue his calling to teach and joined the Portland State fine arts program.
"I would say she was very tolerant, still is," Schwab said of
his wife of almost 50 years. "The work can rule your life if you
let it, that's where the tolerance comes in."
After putting his handprint on a ceramics program at Portland State, Schwab
wanted another challenge. That's when he found an old friend at the Rock
Creek Campus willing to lend an ear about the importance of a ceramics
program at Portland Community College.
"They were really reluctant at first. They said, 'OK we'll try you
out for two classes.' When I filled them, they said 'OK three classes.'
I filled those and it went to five. When those filled up they said, 'We'll
try you out for a year.'"
Now 13 years later, Schwab can boast of starting one of the most comprehensive
community college ceramics programs in the state, one that brings in the
curious, turns several into hobbyists and even some into successful artists.
The program has a waiting list every term.
After walking through the details of his life, his work and his passions,
Schwab said he takes great pride in seeing others apply his wisdom.
"This has been a rewarding way of doing the two things I love, ceramics
and teaching," he said. "Seeing people I have taught succeed
gives me a great deal of satisfaction. In fact, I almost prefer to see
the success of others than of myself."
Article Courtesy of
PCC Communities, Fall 2002 - Public Affairs
