June 17, 2004

Life through an artist’s eye

By Jeanne C. Lewis
Staff Writer

Pirjo Polari-Khan’s world of ceramic art and writing questions the communication of men, women and the times we live in with a provocative sense of humor.

The petite blonde has created clay sculptures, jewelry, fountains and home furnishings for the past 20 years in her Almaden home. Last year she published her second novel, “Blueberry Pieway and other short stores” [1st Books.com], a playful protest against our over-sexed media. Her journey into artistic expression is one of the many “happy accidents” that have occurred in her life.

Polari-Khan, born in Finland, had the usual exposure to art in grade school but even more exposure to culture through her parents, who were both accomplished writers. Living in the town of Seinajoki, her mother, Irma, authored plays and children’s stories; her father, Ossi, has written three books comparable to Mark Twain. She received other inspiration through her uncle and cousin, both accomplished painters. The expression of self through writing and art flourished within the family.

“It was common to hear the sounds of three typewriters throughout the house,” Polari-Khan laughs reminiscing about her early days in Finland with her four brothers.

Polari-Khan discovered the love of words early; writing her first rhyming poem at 7-years-old. She wrote her first book at 15, “A Time for Us,” a classic love story of teenage life in her small town. Graduating from high school, she wanted to attend art school in Hungary, but a twist of fate landed her at Wolver Hampton Polytechnic in Great Britain. There a chance mistake—checking the wrong box of clay instead of woodworking—in the college admission papers became a “happy accident” that changed her life. While studying, she met her future husband, Mahmood, staying in England six years. The couple went back to her hometown and had a life decision to make. Stay there, go back to England or maybe, go to California where Mahmood’s two brothers lived.

“I had no interest in living in America,” Polari-Khan said about their choice of countries. “I wanted to go to Hungary. Now, I never want to leave. It’s the greatest place to live.”

Mahmood’s vocation as an engineer brought the couple to San Jose moving to Almaden in 1985 where they have been ever since. Married 22 years, they have two children, 19-year-old Sabira, who is studying media and journalism at Santa Clara University, and 16-year-old Karim, who attends Leland High School, and whose paintings are displayed on the family room wall.

“You know, creative people have their ups and downs,” Mahmood said laughing about his wife’s passion for art. “It drives me crazy when she has her downs but I know it will pass in a couple of days.” Besides her husband’s good natured teasing, he is supportive of her work and assisted editing her Blueberry Pieway and other short stories.
Polari-Khan is now in preparation for her exhibit at the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival coming this July. Her series of Genesis is inspired from Finnish mythology, an epic story of how the world started by a woman with an egg at her knee. The figures are bulbous and feminine, a modern artifact in toasty brown reminiscent of Venus of Willendorf from 15,000 to 10,000 B.C. It is a theme she is familiar with, creating the mother figure with a modern day evolutionary twist.

The premise of men and women are displayed in much of her work, questioning their relationships with a humorous slant. One sculpture is of a man and woman side by side, holding a heart and brain in either hand, questioning which to rely on. The butterfly wall displays an art piece symbolizing men’s stages in life: father, husband, nerd, colleague, stud, uncle, chap, macho man, ex-husband and so on, all the small clay bodies intricately detailed. Another butterfly piece is a humorous look at women, the insects adorned with female accruements sport the names, Anna Nicole, Dolly, Marilyn, Britney, Bridgette, etc. with Your Name Here featuring tiny casts ready to be filled.

Another wall exposes an evocative political theme. One piece questions the difference between women of the world: a nude western woman with eyes blindfolded; the eastern female in a burka with only her eyes uncovered which Polari-Khan created before the notoriety of the Taliban. Another wall hanging is the female form with areas marked shopping, him, fat, sex, perfume, etc., with push pins like a voodoo doll in vacant spaces inspired from an old Finnish belief that when you give up one vice another replaces it. Atop the political wall sits Polari-Khan’s guardian angel.

Her current piece is on a large ceramic pedestal with Venus coming through a clamshell reminiscent of Botechelli’s but of course, with a feminist twist of the pains women go through for their beauty: face lifts, Chinese leg extensions and the like.

“This is what I really like to do. Something controversial,” the Finnish beauty observed while showing her work. “When I look at other artist’s work and say ‘Wow’ and I need to take a closer look. That’s what I want my pieces to say.”

Home furnishings are another passion of the diverse Polari-Khan. Tall, clay candlesticks, bowls and tables with arty leaves she designed. A recent visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium inspired light airy fabric shades of jellyfish adorning table and floor lamps.

Another “happy accident” is her jewelry for the coming show. Making clay hearts for necklaces, the red color had to be applied many times causing a drip at the bottom of the pieces that looks inspired. The heart design series includes eclectic wall mobiles and stationary pieces.

“I look at my art and writing through the years and I know exactly what questions I was asking at the time,” Polari-Khan said as she sorted through small vegetable beads that will be strung into chokers.
Besides Polari-Khan’s published book of short stories, she writes a column for the Ilkka newspaper in her hometown of Seinajoki with topics as varied as the Finnish Parliamentary system, the September 11th tragedy and Leland High’s career day for students.

“I like to tell young writers that if you write something and it makes you uncomfortable, that’s the right direction,” Polari-Khan said of the classes she has taught at Willow Glen Senior Center and the Almaden Community Center. “If Aunt Muriel would get upset, go there.”

Polari-Khan’s sense of humor led to the creation of her own headstone. On top of the piece is a woman with her hands covering her face with one eye looking out, very surprised.

“I have a wicked sense of humor,” she said as she knelt by the gravestone.

And the world is a better place because of it and her art.

—Photos by Jeanne C. Lewis

Pirjo Polari-Khan’s artwork is being exhibited July 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto. Admission is free. E-mail PirjoPolari-Khan at ppolari_khan@hotmail.com.