Silverwood Gallery will feature the first one-woman show of clay artist Joanne Bohannon this month, with an opening reception scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3.

Bohannon has exhibited at Silverwood Gallery as part of many group shows.

“Patrons know she doesn’t repeat things, teaching collectors: if you like it, buy it,” said gallery owner Margaret Hefflefinger.

Bohannon, who works out of the Kirkland Art Center, is accomplished in many mediums, but found her calling with clay.

Hefflefinger said that many of the pieces in Bohannon’s show were inspired by a lecture on pit firing given by Paul Metivier, who is a mentor to the artist.

Bohannon said she was inspired by Metivier’s description of the Southwest Mimbre people, who worked a hole in their specially designed, pit-fired funerary pots, which were placed on the head of the dead.

The spirit could be released through the hole, to fly out, allowing it to remain among family. Bohannon used this story as a starting point for some of her new work.

“It has to do with women and the things they experience and how to let their spirits be released and fly, so they can be their own person,” said Bohannon. “One of the pieces was deliberately broken and put back together. They’re all very female.”