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W e ll E d u c a te d P o t t e r y A t T h e C la y P o tBY EILEEN BLAIRTo those of us for whom Chemistry always meant beakers of foul-sm elling purees and hieroglypic recipes for the essence of rotten eggs, the notion of Chemistry in the service of Art is awe-inspiring. No less inspiring is the %u201c well educated%u201d pottery of Sally Silberberg who holds a BFA degree from Alfred University%u2019s College of Ceramics and who credits her courses in Glaze Chemistry w ith taking the potluck out of producing fine pottery.Sally%u2019s work makes up the bulk of the inventory at her shop, THE CLAY POT in Park Slope which she and her husband Bob opened in 1968. The production workshop and electric kiln are at the back of the shop and the retail area is up front with plank-topped barrels, platforms and shelves holding a gleaming array ceramic artifacts.Tall, cylindrical pitchers, precisely proportioned tea pots, and perfectly fitte d covered casseroles are among the pottery on displayin THE CLAY POT, where dried flowers, brick walls and a sisal-covered floor provide a natural setting for what is surely one of the most extraordinary assortments of pottery in the Northeast. Unique glazes trace abstract-expressionist maps in rainbow hues of rose, blue and oyster over each piece in the fine, varied collection.It%u2019s the happy marriage of form and color that keeps CLAY POT%u2019S regular clientele coming back again and again. Priced from $2 for handleless mugs to $35 for a set of canisters, CLAY POT has something for everyone in price and design. Sally%u2019s work is predom inantly smooth with a highly polished glaze and graceful lines. Particularly lovely are her ceramic baskets, beribboned in clay, with gently curved sides and carefully tooled handles. Bob Silberberg, a painter and teacher at the Whitney, also contributes pottery to the shop. His work has a more textural, asymmetrical quality achieved by imprinting the wet clay w ith pieces of lace andwooden blocks that create relief designs.The large scale work of Michael Peck, an instructor at Pratt%u2019s Graduate School of Ceramics, is sculptural in effect, especially his large, romantically detailed hanging planters and full-bodied covered jars. The porous, pebbly finish of Ron Garfin k le %u2019s work is achieved through introducing salt into the kiln when the pots are being fired. The chemical reaction that takes place produces a coating that bites into the finish of the pot. To some of his pots, Garfinkle adds photo-silkscreens that turn his vases and platters into portraiture.Sally%u2019s philosophy is that of a true craftsman, who takes pride and delight in the functional aspect of her pottery. %u201c I%u2019m still fascinated every time I throw a pot; it%u2019s addictive,%u201d explains Sally, who works at her wheel daily. %u201c If I had time, I might get into sculpture, but pots are my first love.%u201dGoblets and hanging planters are most popular with Sally%u2019s customers, but sugar and creamer sets, candleBob Silberbergsticks, bowls and vases are John and Toby Allan.also in demand. Many CLAY POT customers select a piece for its glaze rather than its use. Sally%u2019s deep blue glazes with flushes of pastel pink and green are especially sought. Others prefer darker earth tones with espresso browns and subtle natural shades, including the gasfired matt finish pottery ofCeramic jewelry by Park Slope resident Karen Waller and handmade cloth dolls for adults by Elien Weiss round out CLAY POT's crafty wares. The CLAY POT is located at 162 Seventh Avenue, between Garfield Place and First St. Go and get potted!Artful Brownstoners...Continued from Page 6and stuffed animals. %u201c Bob%u2019smother got me interested,%u201d shesays. %u201cShe'd always give me a bagof rags and scraps when we visitedher. She submitted a quilt to%u201cWoman%u2019s Day%u201d magazine and itsBoard of Reviewers selected it toappear in its February issue. She isalso an active volunteer at theBrooklyn YWCA, just around thecorner from the Ipcar house, and isrunning the Country Store part ofthe Y auction, to be held April 26 at7 p.m. at 30 Third Avenue.The Ipcar children are alreadydistinct personalities. Matthew isinterested in fire engines andtrucks. Julie likes to draw. %u201c Shehas a Picasso style,%u201d says Bob,showing you one of Julie%u2019s horsedrawings pasted on the cover of thetool kit he carries around with himon film assignments.About a year ago, the Ipcars tookan option on an acre of land inWestchester County, %u2019%u2019the noise,dirt, and garbage was getting tou s,%u201d says Binni. %u201c We werethinking: should we or shouldn%u2019twe?%u201d The deal to sell the house fellthrough, and they were just asglad. %u201cEven the garbage on thestreets looked like gold when wegot back that night,%u201d she says.Fresh from a visit to her sister insuburban San Francisco, she adds,%u201cJulie and I were out walkingthere, and we saw all thosemanicured lawns and pruned trees,and Julie piped up, %u201cThis is adumb place! Where are thestoops? 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