Hempfield woman casts a love of art - TribLIVE

There are hundreds of ceramic pieces out there that have Patty Nicolazzo’s mark on them.

And they aren’t all in her Hempfield home.

There are the treasured ones she did herself. But there are many others for which she gently guided the student, helping them to create their own work of art and keeping her hands — and opinion — off.

That’s part of the reason she connects well with students, according to those who work with her. But it also might be the talented 68-year-old woman’s friendly personality and willingness to push her charges, young and old, to turn something plain into something beautiful.

“She recognizes what is difficult for people and gives them techniques to help,” said Eric Harter, co-owner of AB Ceramics and More in Jeannette, where Nicolazzo works. “Her groups always gravitate to her.”

Nicolazzo’s love of art has been a major factor throughout her life.

The Latrobe native majored in art in college, but ended up leaving school before she finished her degree. In 1979, a neighbor took her to what was then AB Ceramics on South Fourth Street and the rest of her life as an instructor started soon after.

“My class was a lot of older ladies,” she said. “They learned from me and I learned from them.”

Nicolazzo took a 10-year hiatus from instructing between 2003 and 2013 after a divorce. But ceramics held onto a dormant, yet important space inside her. She returned seven years ago and picked right back up, staying on when new ownership took over a few years ago.

“It’s just something that brings more into the world,” she said. “It’s a way of evolving yourself … it lets the real person out, the real personality out.”

Over the years she poured hundreds of molds in the shop’s basement and can remember pieces from years ago that might be popular with current customers. Now, she’s strictly working with students and sometimes comes up with a new way of painting something that’s been around for a while.

Having her decades of expertise was helpful for Harter and co-owner Tom Slack.

“She’s always willing to try new techniques and bring things back from years and years ago that may have fallen by the wayside,” Harter said. “She’s not an employee, she’s just our family.”

Nicolazzo is energized by her students’ excitement or satisfaction from their projects.

“It’s just good to see it, just making you feel good that, when they walk out of here, they have a project that they have done that they loved,” she said.

Sheila Kolano of North Huntingdon visited the shop one afternoon last week to work on a few gifts and got some pointers from Nicolazzo before picking up a brush.

“She just goes out of her way,” Kolano said. “She’s given us compliments on things we don’t even think are that great.”

Nicolazzo has dozens of photographs on her phone of her pieces. She quickly scrolls through to find a couple favorites — a turkey decked out with warm fall colors and a lifelike Santa bust. Working on a piece can be relaxing.

Working a few days a week at the shop doesn’t feel like a job because it’s something she loves.

“I tell everybody, I don’t work, I go to a comedy club,” she said. “It’s not a job. I forget when pay day is.”

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter .