For 23 months I have written here, posted photos mostly nicked from others all with the main goal of triggering a response from this blue flickering screen. I don't know many of you who read my words. Some of your write for your own fascinating photon tubes of wonderment but mostly you read, drawn in large part by Google or by being A.A. Gill and a bit surprised that a thread about your work here ranks above your own writing. I really only know portland as an old friend - and if you knew portland like I knew portland...

But then I thought some of you might want the others to know about you so I thought I would start the irregular feature Reader's Profile. I thought of it when I followed the website link posted over here yesterday, finding a New Hampshire potter being it. Here is Gary's story as provided after my invitation:

Whoa! Thanks Alan. You have a heck of a blog. My wife Maude and I have enjoyed reading blogs for awhile, but the awards last week highlighted some of the best. Looking at great blogs generally leads to links for more great blogs. And since I am Gen x about to turn 39, I clicked your page, voila! Both of your blogs are terrific. As one of those few far left Americans who has considered moving across the border (but we won't) I appreciate the Canadian perspective. I know exactly where you live now. When I was a kid we lived in Brockport, NY, roughly straight across the lake from Toronto, and I listened to CHUM fm as a teenager, which was very progressive and diverse. My parents live by Syracuse now, and my mother's radio station always gives the weather report for central and northern New York, and Kingston, ON too, which seems a stretch, because it is a ways north of Syracuse. I guess they assume their signal travels well.

Well, about me. Been married almost 13 years to Maude, I am 39 years old, we have 3 dogs and 2 cats. At 17 I went to college to study art and fell hard for pottery. It was lucky I did, everybody else was smoking crack or going to law school, and the world (I like to think) but certainly myself, is better for me playing with clay. I work out of a home studio in the woods, near Concord, NH. I make what I please and avoid orders, selling either at fairs or stores and galleries. NH has an unusual organization called 'The League of NH Craftsmen' which is like a medieval guild. It runs stores and shows and other marketing opportunities, because it is very difficult working and selling independently. My wife just happens to work for them, running Gallery 205 plus other stuff..... The guiding factor in what I make is to have fun, and I have developed a strange attachment to pigs as decoration, because they are simply hilarious. The colors are bright and hopefully dynamically patterned. I am giving demonstrations of sculpture more and more, anything to draw a crowd and earn money for groceries, booze, and pet food. Although we sometimes drink cheap wine, our taste buds were long ago ruined by great whiskey and beer, which sets a rather high minimum standard.

Guess that's about it. Good luck, we will stay tuned! Gary Edward Rith.