The artist works alone.... except for the lights, camera and interview

KC Cowan, second from left, interviews Baker City artist Corrine Vegter, right, for a story that will air on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “Oregon Art Beat” program.

By LISA BRITTON
For the Baker City Herald

All is silent, save a muted scratching as Corrine Vegter works on one of her signature ceramic travel trailers.

She usually works alone in her studio.

The huge camera looming a foot from her face is definitely an oddity in this space.

But she stays composed, demonstrating the process as the camera captures her every move.

Suddenly Tom Shrider lowers the camera, Randy Layton moves the boom microphone, and KC Cowan starts asking questions.

But only for a moment until Vegter leads the crew from “Oregon Art Beat” into the backyard where her ceramic pieces are cooking in a bath tub.

Well, more like burning, in this raku firing that creates unique finishes on the pottery.

The camera’s ready; the sound is ready.

Vegter pulls on heavy gloves and lifts the upside-down metal trash can out of the bath tub to reveal a tiny, brilliant red travel trailer.

She does this three more times, smiling at the results.

“This is what we want with ceramic artists — the big reveal,” Cowan says.

Raku is a low-temperature firing technique, which takes less time than the high-fire used for functional pottery, such as mugs and dishes.

“Most ceramic artists have big kilns they only load twice a year, and it doesn’t coincide with our visit,” Cowan said.

Cowan is host and segment producer for “Oregon Art Beat,” a program on Oregon Public Broadcasting. She and her crew — videographer Shrider and sound man Layton — arrived in Eastern Oregon Monday to start work on a week of stories.

First they met Brian Vegter, Corrine’s husband, at Short Term Gallery in downtown Baker City. Brian is a painter, and his subject is dogs.

His story will be featured in “That’s My Art,” a segment produced by Shrider. It will be available on the Internet, at www.opb.org, before it airs on television.

“We’ve really been trying to boost our presence on the web,” Cowan said.

Tuesday was all about Corrine’s pottery.

Cowan first discovered Corrine’s work at the Ceramic Showcase held every spring in Portland.

“We’ve admired her work for several years,” Cowan said.

When she discovered where the Vegters live, she jumped on the story.

“I love Baker City, especially in the fall,” Cowan said.

Corrine worked for a month to prepare for the visit from the OPB crew. Her goal was to have trailers in various stages to show the process.

“Every stage of the most interesting parts,” she said.

“It’s like a cooking show,” Cowan explained.

Shrider said it takes about 15 “people days” to produce a 7-minute story.

As he films and the artist talks, Cowan jots her notes, but she will mostly rely on the words captured by the camera.

She transcribes everything.

“Every darn word,” she said.

That can take three days. Then comes the script and the editing.

“It really is quite the collaboration,” Cowan said.

She said it usually takes six months from the time they interview an artist to when the segment airs.

“It might air in December, definitely by January,” Cowan told Corrine.

The new season of “Oregon Art Beat” begins next Thursday (it airs at 8 p.m. Thursdays and again at 6 p.m. on Sundays).

Cowan also writes stories for the website, under the “Arts and Life” section.

“I can write about things I don’t have visuals for,” she said.

Cowan has worked for “Art Beat” since 1999, full-time since 2001.

On Wednesday, the crew headed up to Joseph for stories on wood turner Tom Clevenger and artists Carol and Mark Kortnik, who also own a gallery.