Mentorship Monday: Linda Sikora : Sanam Emami Linda Sikora, Alfred Station, NY: “There are valued instants in any given lifetime when a passing exchange with an individual will enlighten. And then, there are encounters with people who enter our lives in a steady and constant manner and who, with any good fortune, bring and accept bounty in many forms over many years. I met Sanam Emami when I was fresh out of graduate school and in my first teaching position at the University of Colorado Boulder. Sanam was a special student working alongside the graduate class. In a number of ways, we were closer in professional and personal experience than not; and, this may have been part of the glue that kept us dynamically in relation over time. In subsequent years, we found ourselves sharing studios, and classrooms - as student teacher then as colleagues. We became friends, housemates, and travel companions. Among other things, we share a love of pottery form, of color, of pattern, of the decorative process, of material culture. As does our work so do we have much that connects and distinguishes us. Therein lay the riches of our enduring bond. This spring, we had an airport conversation about a classic book on pottery Sanam had read while at a residency in Minnesota. We spoke about it’s classicism and its enduring inspiration until my flight arrived. Two weeks later, a copy showed up in my mailbox. “ Sanam Emami, Fort Collins, CO: “The only way to write a single paragraph about my relationship with Linda Sikora - my mentor and friend for the past 18 years - is to let go of my ego and intellect and write from my heart and my gut. Linda has taught me many things over the years: to strive to be articulate and think through complex decisions, but also to trust my instincts. Her guidance and encouragement always struck the right cord. Somehow there is a balance between inspiring me to do more and to do it better, but also to bring conviction and honesty to my studio practice and my life. After a conversation with Linda one feels the humanity and humility of art making, and the potential for it to really matter. Linda is many things to me: an inspiring artist, a generous and committed teacher, a role model, a colleague, a friend, and a travel companion. A few years after I finished graduate school I had the opportunity to travel to Iran to see my family after being away for almost 20 years. Linda asked if she could travel with me. This was the first time she had asked me for something, and I felt so grateful to be able to do something for her after all she had done for me. Looking back now, I realize that her presence made the trip into an even more meaningful adventure. Our relationship has changed, evolved, and become more reciprocal over the years but I will alw
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:00:00 +0000
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