Friends keep potter's work on display while she is ill with pneumonia

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While Tara Dawley lies in a Georgia hospital in a coma, trying to come back from a serious bout with pneumonia, her precious ceramic art will be on sale this weekend at the Brookside Art Annual.

For the first time in the 21 years of the art show, an artist who is unable to attend will still have her creations sold.

That came about because of Dawley's friends, who wanted to help her after the 50-year-old potter became ill while traveling to an art show in Florida. She has been in the hospital in Macon, Ga., since March, hooked up to machines in a comatose sleep, and was listed Saturday in stable conditions.

Although Dawley won the right to show in Brookside over a thousand other artists wanting one of the 190 available slots, artists have always been required to be present, or they are disqualified.

Director Donna Potts said this is the first time that anyone has asked that the rules be suspended, or that so many artists volunteered to help.

"She's a long-term artist in our community," Potts said. "It was joint decision to allow this."

So, before the Brookside show started Friday, Dawley's friends set up her 10-by-10 foot white tent and carefully set up her display. They will split time this weekend working at booth 103 for Dawley.

All the money from the sales will go to Dawley.

"We want to keep paying rent on her home so she'll have a home to come home to. And she will be coming home," said Susan Hill, a friend, fellow artist and co-owner of Red Star Studios, where Dawley is a teacher and studio manager, as well as a self-employed artist.

Dawley's work station inside Red Star Studios Ceramic Center and Gallery still looks as if she is is just away for a moment.

Some of her work still lines the space: coffee cups with special beveled sides where a human lip would contact the mug; a squashed bowl indented just enough to fit a grip for curled fingers.

Dawley's brother said Friday that she went 12 hours Thursday without a ventilator, and physicians are increasing that time daily.