Celebrating Dataw Artists – Meet the Mudslingers

by Marie Doyon and Bill Riski

A celebration of VAC’s 20th anniversary would not be complete without recognizing a group of artists who make things out of clay. But first, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the person solely responsible for bringing clay classes, along with her broad expertise, to Dataw: our own Dot Schaphorst. Dot moved to Dataw around the time that VAC was conceived. The (new at the time) art room had a kiln, but no one knew how to operate it! An art major in college and a former art teacher, Dot is also an accomplished painter and an incredibly talented (rug)hooker. Hearing about the unused kiln, she decided to teach clay sculpting, offering six-week classes in the fall and spring. Her “students” became known at the time as “The Dirty Girls,” some of whom are featured below. Take some time to get to know this group, now known as “The Mudslingers” – in their own words.

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Brooke Schuster

Art has always been a part of my life. I have always felt the need to create something.  Whenever possible, I took art classes in various mediums and enjoyed them all.  Once life took over, art was relegated to the few minutes between work and raising a family.  When I retired, I could spend more time investigating what I really liked.  Drawing has always been a favorite of mine, but over time, I discovered watercolor and pottery.  Both are satisfying in somewhat different ways.  In watercolor, I see how the water spreads the color over the paper in such beautiful ways, and pottery allows me to manipulate clay into something functional that others can enjoy.

When my husband and I moved here from Ohio, we couldn’t believe that we were so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.  It is hard not to be inspired living on Dataw. Everywhere you look you see such gorgeous landscapes. It gets your creative juices flowing.

One of the artists that has inspired me is Mary Whyte.  She has such power in her brushstrokes and inspiring subjects for her watercolor paintings. She is also a wonderful teacher. Another was my cousin, who practiced art, especially pottery, her whole life and lived to be 101.  Art can be inspiring, soothing, refreshing, awesome and almost any other emotion that you can think of.  Trying to put that emotion on paper or into a vessel is both challenging and satisfying.  

VAC has been a great place to meet other people who love art and explore many mediums.  It has come a long way from its beginnings in 2003.

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Terri Jodoin

I grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, where I lived for most of my life except for eight years in North Carolina and two years in the Washington DC area. Living close to Manhattan gave me the opportunity to visit some of the best art museums in the world. My favorite was the Museum of Modern Art. My favorite artists are Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, and Jackson Pollock. I certainly did not demonstrate any artistic ability as a child, unless you consider coloring within the lines!

As far as pottery goes, I’ve always loved handmade pottery. I’m fortunate to be related to Jerry DeVisser and have been the recipient of many of his wonderful pieces. However, it was Noel Mears here at Dataw who made me think I could make something worthwhile. She gave me one of her handmade dishes, which started the ball rolling. I took my first class here with Dot Schaphorst. Dot is a wonderful teacher who inspired me to continue with lessons here and join the Mudslingers group. Of course, I would not have improved my skills without the guidance and inspiration from Jerry (DeVisser), Janet (Bura), and Brooke (Schuster). Our current collection of Mudslingers is a wonderful group that inspire each other, share ideas, and teach new techniques. I’m so grateful to be a part of this group.

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Janet Bura

I was always an art collector during my business life. However, my collection was paintings, not pottery.  Upon retirement, Stephanie Askew, a friend who is now a Dataw resident, encouraged me to take a pottery class with her at our Community Center in Plano, Texas.  I enjoyed the classes, and my interest in pottery grew from that time on.  Pottery is a very therapeutic art form.  When I moved to Dataw, Dot Schaphorst taught pottery classes for six weeks twice a year.  I always took those classes.  When Dot suspended teaching, Brook Schuster and I worked on pottery in the studio, and Brooke developed pottery classes to offer to the Dataw residents. Most of our training is self-taught from videos.  I took a week course at the Penland School of Craft three years ago and a class from Pam Brewer, a North Carolina potter. Pottery allows the opportunity for many happy accidents.  Most of the time, the end product is envisioned during the construction process.

A lifelong interest in art inspires me to create.  I did not take classes until I retired from my business career. I began taking painting classes here in the Beaufort area, along with the many courses Art Atelier, SOBA, and VAC offered. I also take classes at the Carlton Gallery in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Artists who influenced my painting include some of the Impressionists…Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt. I don’t have a collection of pottery from any one potter.  Many excellent potters live in the mountains of western North Carolina.  I collect from several and attend many of the shows they offer. Pam Brewer is definitely a favorite.  She creates graceful abstract animal forms that are elegant and so inspiring.

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Donna Walker

My desire to become an artist started when I was about five.  I asked my mother to draw a woman for me so I could learn how to draw.  She was an excellent artist who wanted to design fashion early in life.  I could not draw like my mother at first, but only stick figures, which I laughed at, knowing what I came up with wasn’t very good.  She also taught me to do faces, eyes, nose, and mouth.  I continued trying hard to become a good artist throughout elementary school.  I had a bad habit of drawing during class and would get myself into trouble by being called out by the teacher and later by my parents.

Once I was in junior high school, I made sure I signed up for art class.  A great teacher helped me learn how to use pastels, and I did a portrait of a fellow student. My teacher entered it into the Los Angeles Scholastic Art Contest; I won a Blue Ribbon and a Gold Key Award for first place in my division. 

I continued taking art throughout high school and excelled in drawing and clay sculpturing.  I was featured in the school newsletter with a sculpture of an African woman and her child sitting on the ground grinding grain.  My inspiration was a picture of this on the cover of National Geographic Magazine. 

After high school, I went to Beauty School.  I was known for styling hair, and older girls in school asked me to do their hair, and they knew I had a talent for that.   Creating art on top of heads became my sculpting instead of clay sculptures.  I worked for over 20 years in salons in Santa Barbara and Montecito, CA, working on a few celebrities. 

I married and raised two talented daughters. One is a fashion designer, and one is a musician. My younger brother was also very talented in art, as was my grandmother. So it seems to run in the family.

When I moved to Dataw Island, I joined VAC, started painting, and took a few classes here. I was encouraged to get into my artwork more and create as much as possible. Then I heard of the clay group.  I was so excited to be a part of both of them. Being able to work in my art studio, I found that painting in solitude was the best way I could get deeply into my work and accomplish what I was trying to achieve.  It worked! I spent more time at home painting, but I enjoy being in the clay group and learning new techniques.

I have been inspired by my mother, my children, and my partner.  The artist that I most admired growing up was Norman Rockwell. I loved looking at his work as it was mesmerizing to me.  I consider myself a realist artist, and Rockwell painted as he saw things with so much detail and character.  I wanted to be able to paint like him.  I admire many artists.  We have an abundance of incredible and inspiring people right here on Dataw.  I learn something from all artists’ works!

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Jeanine Herring

I hope I’m not too late to join the conversation about creativity.  I don’t know that my motivation is creativity so much as attending classes.  As you know, I’m a class junkie!  I got my undergraduate degree at night and my master’s degree on the weekend program, so going to classes is in my DNA.

I decided not to pursue a Ph.D. and started art classes instead.  Atlanta, where I previously lived, has a wide variety of venues for creative classes that are offered at night or on the weekends. As a result, I was able to attend painting, drawing, silk painting, and clay classes.  My weary family and friends say, ‘Oh look, another ______ (scarf, landscape, mug, watercolor, etc) from Jeanine’!  Dataw is great for me because of the constant string of excellent classes by great artists!!!

I really enjoy the clay group.  The Mudslingers are a great bunch, and we have a lot of fun.  I’d encourage others to give it a try!

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Maribel Mitnick

I was born and raised in the Philippines, my first home.  In 1992, I left home on an assignment in New York when I started my career with the United Nations. I am very fortunate to have experienced living in various UN duty stations, i.e., New York City 🇺🇸; The Hague 🇳🇱; Brindisi 🇮🇹; and Arusha 🇹🇿.  

Growing up, my siblings and I were required to excel in one musical instrument and Filipino folk dances. Our Grandmother, a teacher, wanted her grandchildren to serve as role models, influencing other children’s participation.  She used to say, “If I can’t get you into music, how can I get other children to do so?”  While living in the Netherlands, I discovered a great reliever of work stress: flowers and more flowers.  I attended various classes on flower arranging, including Ikebana.  So, for the past 28 years, flower arranging has been a hobby. 

My discovery and love of clay was pure serendipity and, as events turned out, most timely.  While on my own on a weekend in the Hague in November 2018, one evening, it was pouring rain, which made me take shelter in a wine shop. In the back of the shop, I discovered another shop: 3Tree Ceramics, where a clay workshop was being conducted, and in attendance were primarily expats.  I signed up immediately for one-on-one instructions as well as evening group classes.   I trained with 3Tree until we left The Hague at the end of 2019.  

My hobby in flower arrangements led me to create vases.  Since joining the VAC, I have made primarily functional pieces for personal use and gifts to family and friends.

Impressionist artists and craftsmen of the Art Nouveau movement have had the most impact on my creations. I’m also inspired by Asian art, particularly Japanese works from the Edo and Meiji periods.

Although my husband and I chose and enjoyed the life of UN gypsies while we were working, the idea of having a home base when we retired appealed to us both. Again, serendipity. My partner, now husband, vacationed in the Low Country with his parents. While traveling from Charleston to Savannah, we visited several communities, including Dataw, and he was so impressed we planned a visit together. Dataw’s beauty and sense of community influenced us, so we purchased our property in 1996 and built our home in 1998. We continue to delight in our decision.

As a member of VAC, I value the camaraderie and being part of a group that brings beauty and inspiration to the residents of our community.

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Patty Santalla

I am officially the newbie in our group of Mudslingers. With no artistic background to speak of, I stumbled upon this world of pottery by accident. So far, it has been filled with challenges, discovery, and a growing appreciation and enjoyment for the craft.

After retiring from teaching, I moved to Dataw a little over a year ago. Up to that point, my only exposure to clay and pottery came from observing my brother, an accomplished artist, and from my kindergarteners exploring Play-Doh! Upon arriving in Dataw, I began to explore the many clubs and activities offered in the community. At a social event, two members of the Mudslingers, Brooke Schuster and Jeanine Herring, suggested I join the group and try hand-building with clay. I wasn’t sure it was for me. I was encouraged by Terri Jodoin and my brother Jerry DeVisser to give it a try. And so that’s where it began. Brooke was kind enough to be my mentor, and she and my fellow Mudslingers have continued to provide support and invaluable lessons. They inspire me to keep going!

While I may not have started with an artistic background, I am becoming a clay enthusiast. Creating functional pieces, from plates to bowls and vases, has become very rewarding. I’m learning that pottery isn’t about instant perfection but patience and persistence. 

My lack of artistic background has become a unique part of my story. It’s a reminder that art is not limited to those with formal training but is accessible to anyone willing to learn. I think my journey has only just begun.

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Gallery of their other works