The potter's craft is give and take. Pressure brings a lump of clay under control, but it is a gentle hand that guides a pot during its creation.

James Rice and Steve Kravec know how clay feels. For years they have pushed, pulled, rolled and poured it into an abundance of forms, then glazed it, fired it and produced something greater than the sum of its parts. They are artisans, passionate about pottery, and they have found Southwest Florida to be a perfect environment to pursue careers in clay.

James Rice

Under a green canopy of tropical trees, white and purple bougainvillea cascade down a corner of Jim Rice's office at The Clay Place. Inside the compound of low stucco buildings, a fountain embedded with colorful elay fish platters gurgles quietly in a grove of bamboo.

"I bought this place because of the vegetation," Rice said with a sweeping gesture of his pottery studio, "It's a great environment to work in."

His two huge Dalmations, Glaze and Platter, dutifully patrol the area and wag tails amiably for friends.

In 193, after coming to Naples to visit his parents, Rice decided he had found a good place to set up his wheel. The Clay Place has been Rice's Shadowlawn Drive studio for 14 years.

Rice loves life, whether it's in the form of Southwest Florida's lush landscape, in the spirited explosion of hues that give his clay work its character, or in his own family - Barbara, Rice's artist wife, young daughter Anna and new baby born this week.

"God inspires me, good friends inspire me, the weather down here, the friendly folks, I'm just getting ready to through a bunch of pots and I'm sure Barney's going to inspire a couple." Rice said referring to the children's television character.

Rice's rainbow fish platters have become his trademark. "It all started as a way to take a filet out of the oven and straight to the table. They really took off." said Rice.

"The fish are nice, because you can make a thousand different designs and they're not right or wrong. I try to put six to eight colors on everything. My basic attitude is that good art doesn't have to match your couch."

Rice has about 150 dealers who sell his fish, with several locations in Naples, including Boat Haven, The Mole Hole, Willford & Lee, Exquisite and the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. He also doesn't quite a bit of custom work, even fabricating tile fireplaces.

"The fish are my bread and butter," Rice explained.

Originally from Ohio, where he received his technical training at Ohio State University, Rice has become one symbol of Naples art. When the historic Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club began several years ago to redecorate using local artists' work, Rice was one of those chosen to contribute. His popular fish became distinctive room, patio and hallway signs.

One of Rice's original goals - wish the fish platters accomplished long ago - was to provide people with functional pieces that they could use every day.

I take it for granted, but there are people who have come through the studio who have never seen a hand made vessel, never seen anything made on a potter's wheel. They have never seen a coffee mug other than the kind you buy at Publix for a buck forty nine," said Rice, "a mug I make is signed and dated on the bottom - it has a handmade feel. So for $12.50 I make a point. I try to raise people's consciousness."

Rice's fish platters inadvertently have a also inspired outdoor pieces such as stepping stones, mosaic picnic tables and benches, and the fountain.

"Fish would come back from the stores broken, and I hated to throw them away," said Rice. "You know, I just spend so much time and energy making these things."

Energy is something Rice seems to have a lot of. He tries to work in the studio from 10 to 5 on weekdays and all day Saturday - in addition to running an aquatic wheelchair business. Rice is also very active with the Rotary in town. Clay has its hold on him, though.

"I can spend my whole life just working with clay and not scratch all the different areas," said Rice. "Potters are like birds, they all have their own songs. I make pottery one way, Steve Kravoc makes it another way - that is the beauty of the medium."