"We named it Walden Park, after Henry Thoreau's Walden Pond (his utopia) as well as a combination of our names. We enjoyed many winter evenings studying house designs, and started building our new home in the spring of 1999. My studio is in the basement, and my view is the bird feeder and gardens and trees. I have looked up while working on the wheel and have seen a deer outside the window, a raccoon eating under the bird feeder, or a rabbit hopping about."

Originally from Montreal, Keats has lived in north Milton for almost 10 years. She has gradually developed two lines of pottery -- functional Denware and decorative Raku pottery.

Denware is functional tableware such as bowls and plates, serving dishes, vases, teapots, mugs and covered pots like casseroles. Keats is continually adding new forms such as birdhouses and lanterns, berry bowls and flower baskets. She enjoys experimenting with forms and glazes. She believes that her "pots like being used. A comforting mug, like a vase that holds flowers, reminds me of life's simple pleasures."

Keats has enjoyed working with clay since she took a course in pottery in Toronto in 1997.

Her other line of pottery usually featured in Fine Arts Society of Milton art shows is Raku pottery. Keat's distinctive Raku pots and dishes have decorative patterns with a purple lustre. The artworks are popular items at local shows. They're intended for decorative, nonfunctional purposes.

Liquids will seep through the clay, and vessels shouldn't be used for serving food.

"I use very thin (1/16-inch) tape to create very detailed designs on large bowls and bottles," said Keats. "I then glaze the designs and then remove the tape before firing them in the Raku kiln."

Functional pottery such as Denware is fired twice. After the piece is thoroughly dry, it is heated in a kiln (fired) to a temperature of about 1800 degrees F. This is called bisque.

The piece is then glazed by dipping and fired a second time to about 2,200 degrees F, vitrifying the clay.

Raku is a technique of firing pottery that originated in Japan. Raku pieces are formed from a special clay body, which is extremely resistant to heat shock. When the piece is thoroughly dry, it's heated in a kiln to a temperature of about 1,800 degrees F (bisque fired).

After it has been allowed to cool slowly, glazes are applied by painting or spraying. The piece is then placed in an outdoor kiln and fired with a propane burner until the glaze melts, which takes about 20 minutes. The kiln is immediately opened and then, still glowing, the piece is removed using long metal tongs. It's then placed in a metal bin containing combustible materials such as paper and sawdust, which immediately burst into flames.

When the lid is placed on the bin, all the oxygen is consumed, turning the glazes brilliant metallic and creating lustrous sheens. The clay body carbonizes and turns black.

Each piece is one of a kind and can never be reproduced.

Keats' work is exhibited at the Williams Mill Gallery in Glen Williams and at the gift shop of the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre in Guelph. She has participated in the John Sommer Juried Art Show in the Gallery at Halton Hills Cultural Centre, and last year was honoured to receive the Artcast Prize for best three-dimensional work.

Keats has been a regular participant in the From Heart to Hands Art Show that occurs early each year at the Milton Sports Centre. During the fall, she exhibits her unique work in her studio as part of the annual Fine Arts Society of Milton Studio Tour.

On the first weekend of December, Keats opens her studio to the public once more for her annual Christmas Show.