For Ernie Thom of Torrance, a large...

For Ernie Thom of Torrance, a large part of the kick from using a potting wheel is that “you can see the end product almost immediately.” Before his retirement, Thom was a principal at various schools for 23 years, so almost-instant gratification would have a special meaning for someone who has spent his life watching the paint of education dry to the point of noticing the improvement.

Florence Tebbets, also of Torrance--”Florence of Torrance” in her own words--mentions the camaraderie of crafts people: “All crafters are a little bit flaky, and we understand each other.” Tebbets earns her living as administrative coordinator in the department of radiology at USC Medical School. “But my love is my crafting,” she says.

Craftsmanship--bringing order out of chaos, concreting a vision, making something out of nothing--is to take joy into your own hands, these crafters say.

“I’m crazy about it,” Thom says. “You know what? I sit and watch TV with a sketch pad in my lap, thinking of things I can do.”

Tebbets, who does a number of crafts, including textile design, says last year she made a “bear holding a bear holding a bear holding a bear,” each in the lap of the next one (with the smallest one, an inch and a half tall, on the top, naturally.) But where did the idea come from?

“Dunno,” she says. “As I say, we’re all flaky.”

The work of Thom, Tebbets, and a whole lot of other crafters working in ceramics, paintings, folk art, sculpture, copper enameling and other media is on view at the ninth annual exhibit of the Torrance Craftsmen’s Guild at the Torrance Joslyn Center of the Arts Gallery. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday until May 24. Admission and parking are free; further information is available at (213) 618-6340.