The Potters Cast

Taylor Sijan is an artist and craftswoman from Catawba Island, Ohio. Taylor is known for her richly decorated, functional pottery that has been exhibited widely throughout the US. Taylor earned a BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2016 and an MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2021.

Arthur Halvorsen work uses bright colors, textures and patterns on earthenware, gathering inspiration from pop art, coloring books and tattoos. Arthur is a Mudflat studio artist, he teaches classes and workshops at Mudflat but also teaches at Lesley University in Cambridge MA and and other venues nationally as a visiting artist. Arthur's work has been featured in Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, Studio Potter, ArtScope Magazine, and on WCVB Channel 5; Chronicle. Arthur has been recognized as a 2019 Brother Thomas Fellow recipient for his work in the field of ceramics within the Boston area.

Adam Field and William Duvall, both alumni of The Potters Cast, are back to the show to talk about their last three months of working together in Adam's studio. William was looking to grow his skill level and Adam was looking for help in the studio... it was a match made in heaven! Listen in to the conversation to hear what their experience was like.

The works of Nichibei potters blends the elegant tradition of Japanese folk art with a contemporary flair resulting in an innovative collection of handmade pottery that is unmistakably Nichibei. Mikio Matsumoto worked as a commodities broker in Japan, but always had a keen interest in the arts. He became a potter after moving to California in 1985. Cheryl Costantini has had a life-long interest in pottery, culture and traditional artistic values. In 1978 she traveled to Japan to study pottery. Cheryl and Mikio formed Nichibei in 1985. Since then, the husband and wife team have shown their work at exhibitions in California, New York and Japan. Literally translated, Nichibei means "Japan and America."

Teena Martin started taking pottery classes at a local community arts centre, and this quickly became one of her many forms of expression. Teena considers herself a "self taught" artist because she is not formally trained in ceramics, photography or painting, though she has had many wonderful teachers along the way. When Teena began working with clay her main goal at the start was to throw the biggest bowl possible. That is the wonder of clay, once she threw her 1,000 bowls, extruded dozens of casseroles, made literally 100's of slab plates (with very rude words!) Teena had enough of 'production work' so she went a completely different direction and found her joy! For the last few years Teena has been exploring many different styles and forms but what has remained consistent is her focus on the whimsical. Teena's love of the ocean plays a large part in her inspiration and her recent projects reflect that passion.

Frank Eagar, both an alumni of The Potters Cast and a high school teacher, has an interesting approach to creating curriculum for his students. For his pottery students he has them listen to an episode of The Potters Cast or watch a Youtube video of a potter. Next he has each of the students record a question for the artist that is in focus. And finally the artist will watch the recorded questions from the students and respond to each student individually. It is a brilliant idea! This is an episode where the artist being question was the host of The Potters Cast, me, Paul Blais!

I can't believe that The Potters Cast has been around for 7 years! Throughout the history of the show there have been so many episodes that have stood out to me. So for these past two weeks I have been bringing back through the archives and pulling out a few of my favorite episode. Bill's episode has been one of those episodes that I have carried with me.

I have been loving being able to bring to you some of my favorite episodes from the past 7 years and Osa's episode from way back before the 2 year mark has always stuck with me. I have talked about her multiple times.

Today, April 29th is the birthday of The Potters Cast! Seven years ago we launched the show to the world. In celebration I am going back into the archives and pulling out some of my personal favorites. Clary is definitely one of my all time favorites.

In celebration of The Potters Cast turning 7 years old this week, I am pulling out of the archives some of my favorite episodes. This conversation with Sebastian took place back in 2018 and was a face-to-face meeting at NCECA. I was already a big fan of Sebastian, but I fell all the more in love with him through this conversation.

Tom Buczak is back, but this time he came to The Potters Cast to talk about what it is like to make ceramics with his son, EZ. In this show notes page you will see the work of both Tom and EZ.

Anastassia Zamaraeva is a ceramic artist based in Manchester, UK. Anastassia's work is mainly figurative and centered around story telling and an exploration of our inner worlds. Some pieces are melancholy, some are silly, and others are creepy.

Andrea Burns, owner of Pots by Andrea, is a potter and educator living and working in Allendale, Michigan. Andrea's not-so-greenthumb tendencies inspires her to create vessels adorned in everlasting ceramic florals.

Stephen Biggerstaff has been making ceramics seriously for twelve years in Asheville,NC. Stephen has taken multiple ceramics workshops with many artists at craft schools in his region. Stephen rented space at and performed as a studio assistant at Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts. Stephen was mentored by Lana Wilson and assisted her at Penland and Arrowmont, predominantly. Stephen had a career as a landscape contractor in Charleston County area in SC before moving to NC.

Ryan Reich was on The Potters Cast back in 2018. A few weeks ago on February 12th, Ryan's family home burst into flames. Gratefully, everyone got out safely, but they lost everything. Today we talk to Ryan to hear his story. Amazingly, Ryan has an amazing attitude.

Liz Mazurek studied art and ceramics at Southwestern University where she received a BFA and realized she wanted to pursue clay as her lifelong career. Since graduating, Liz took on a year long post-baccalaureate position at Colorado State University that offered a great opportunity to learn about how she was going to proceed in her clay career. Once her time at CSU came to a close, Liz found a local pottery studio called Smokestack Pottery in Fort Collins, Colorado in which she decided to become a full time resident artist. Liz currently teaches classes, fire kilns, and work as an independent artist.

Alexandria Medenciy is a potter and high school ceramics teacher located in the Quad Cities. Alexandria is a firm believer in being a teaching artist, and works to inspire and engage her students using clay. Alexandria's work (Gemini Pottery) focuses on the juxtaposition of black and white sgraffito with loose and expressive color behind it.

Born in Manitoba, Terry Hildebrand graduated with an MFA from the UofMinnesota in 2014. Terry received a BFA from UofManitoba in 2007. Between Universities Terry was the ceramics technician at UManitoba. After school Terry taught at Medicine Hat College and participated in residencies at Medalta and the Banff Center until they moved back home in 2018. Terry and his partner are full time artists based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Camille Beckles is the creative person behind Camille at the Wheel. Camille at the Wheel is a collection of handmade ceramics with a bent towards beautiful utility. Camille loves cups that fit nicely in your hand, bowls that hold just the right amount of popcorn, and mugs that are perfectly sized for morning coffee. Camille's hope is that her work brings you joy and usefulness, in equal measure.

Using earthenware clay, Sasha Barrett makes functional and decorative pots. The surfaces of Sasha's forms are painted using heavy, colorful brushstrokes to create a feeling of movement and mood. Sasha throws his pots on a slow turning kick-wheel. Sasha finds inspiration from his home country of Ukraine.

Lacy Corlis is a potter living in Hood River, Oregon. Lacy's father introduced her to this craft as a young girl. She loves creating functional pottery using detailed sgraffito and brightly colored glaze combinations. Lacy finds inspiration in nature and emotions.

With a career as a graphic designer and marketer, Crysten Puszczykowski's real passion is pottery, spanning back to when she received her first pieces as gifts. Crysten took her first class in high school but didn't really get into it until years later when her daughter was 9 and Cryesten wanted something they could do together. That was 2013 and now Crysten has her own wee studio in her garage and is creating whenever she can. Crysten's career and homes have changed, but her obsession over clay remains. Crysten believes pottery should be for everyone and used everyday.

Since returning to ceramics after a long absence, it has been a journey of rediscovery for Steve Booton. Rediscovering lost skills. Rediscovering lost enthusiasm, and rediscovering an aesthetic approach to working with clay that feels natural and unforced. Steve's latest work, with a strong Japanese influence, is where he feels most comfortable. Steve continues to explore wood firing with simple shino glazes on uncomplicated direct forms allowing the nature of the clay to develop honest pots with what he likes to call beautiful imperfections.

Michelle Gardella pictures and pottery both leave her covered in mud. Whether she's wading in rivers with her camera, or spinning bowls at her wheel, Michelle's art is rooted in an unwavering reverence for the human connection with earth and water, and one another.

Jo Brimble through Brimble Studios wants to bring a smile to your face with unique, illustrated, functional, ceramics that have characters who take on a life of their own. From merpeople soap dishes to a strong man butter dish, these designs hopefully make you chuckle because everyday objects deserve a bit more personality.

Zoey B Scheler (b.1989) is a ceramic artist working and living in Canon City, Colorado. Zoey makes one of a kind, small scale abstract ceramic sculptures and functional vessels. Zoey works with white stoneware, porcelain, colored porcelain and non-ceramic materials. Zoey attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, where she received her BFA with an emphasis in ceramics. Following her studies in Brooklyn she attended Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, obtaining her MSED in K-12 Art Education. In 2017, Zoey received her MFA from Purchase College SUNY where she was an Adjunct Art and Design Graduate Professor. Zoey was the Rittenberg resident artist at Clay Art Center in Port Chester, New York from 2017-2019. Zoey continues her studio practice in her home studio in Colorado as well as teaches ceramics to all ages of makers.

Raphaela Seck is a potter living in the south west of Devon in the UK. Raphaela first started pottery at an evening class and has been hooked ever since. After completing 2 apprenticeships Raphaela went on to manage a community studio and teach weekly classes. Raphaela now makes pottery full time from her home studio. Raphaela's work is calm, elegant, and tactile.

Dwayne Nii-Teiko Sackey's work leaves a trace of a fluid, organic process and a human set of hands. Windswept trees, cold blue bodies of water, and lichen covered granite boulders intrigue and informs Dwayne's artistic palette. Gentle curves, textured surfaces, and meandering lines speak through Dwayne's art. Atmosphere, expressive brush strokes, and simple glazes mimic the timelessness of nature.

Nala Turner is a Brooklyn-based ceramics artist and creative art therapist, working primarily with themes related to race-issues, cultural identity, femininity, social stereotype, and popular culture perspectives. Nala has shown her work in various gallery, workshop, and press settings. Through clay-work, Nala aims to inspire her audience to recognize such culturally restricting barriers and transubstantiate the cultural representation of Black people.

Mairi Stone's work is all about trying to express her love and reverence for the beauty of the earth. The oceans are a major inspiration but the whole of nature's forms, textures, and colours influences her. Mairi uses porcelain paperclay and often fuse glass into the pieces.

Paul Briggs grew up in the Hudson Valley of Newburgh, NY. Paul's first ceramics class was in high school. Paul's creative process is pinching, and slab-built vessels,\ and his work is informed by art making as a spiritual practice. Paul is an Artist-Teacher at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design

PEZ COCINADO is all about Vivi Araya-Gamboa's imagination, love and respect for the ocean. When Vivi was a little girl her mother let her draw on the walls of Vivi's room since that where peces y peces!!! Then on papers and when Vivi went to the university with CLAY. REMEMBER!!! MORE FISHES, LESS PLASTIC!!!!

Morgan Levine makes functional slipware out of her Brooklyn studio. Morgan's work references a long history of marbleized patterns across different mediums and around the world. Each piece records the reaction between Morgan's gesture and the colored slips' movement.

Erin Killian is a ceramicist and writer based in Southern California. When she's not wrangling her three young boys, you can find her in her backyard studio making simple, functional pottery. Before she moved West, she was a journalist with NPR in Washington, D.C. and has written for the Washington Post and Fodor's Travel.

Ann Ruel started creating pottery as a tribute to the traditions and dynamics of the "family" as witnessed from her own experiences and acted out on the pottery through symbolic images found in nature including birds, flowers, bees etc. As Ann has grown, she now does custom work for other people who relay their own experiences and trust her to illustrate their stories for them.

Nicole Pepper is a West Seattle Ceramic Artist, wife, and a mother of 3. Nicole has pursued a career in ceramics since 1995 where she graduated from Western Washington University with a BFA in Ceramics with a second concentration in Fiber Arts. Nicole's hope is to bring work that is warm, functional, and delightful.

Today we celebrate 700 episodes of The Potters Cast! This episode is all about the small victories that the listeners have found through the advice and stories of all the amazing guests of the show.

Nicola Hart is originally from New Zealand but moved to Australia after finishing her studies in graphic design. Nicola worked as a designer and art director and then had time at home with her three children. Around ten years ago Nicola started doing night classes in ceramics at her local community centre and fell in love with hand building in clay! Nicola now works from her home in Sydney, where ceramics has turned from a hobby into a small business. Nicola is fascinated with organic shapes, and ceramics that are unique and perfectly imperfect.

Kat (Katherijne) Pino, a ceramic artist from The Netherlands, has been living in Vancouver since 2016. Kat design and make contemporary dinnerware and home goods with a focus on functionality and simplicity.

Casey Taylor found ceramics in college. After focusing on illustration, painting, and drawing, Casey took an 'intro to ceramics' class as an elective and never looked back. Casey focused on ceramic sculpture in school, though she was always drawn to pottery because of the tangible connection between the maker and the user. Now working as an artist, Casey is finding new ways to combine sculpture and pottery into functional art objects.

Min Oh is a potter living in Utah. Min's work is designed to not only fit well into one's life, but also to bring a splash of beauty.

Jérémy Bellina is a Berlin base ceramic artist who aims at creating contemporary, playful & practical ceramics. Jérémy's approach to the craft is fairly intuitive, he enjoys experimenting with shapes and colors, crossing his fingers that along the way something special and functional will emerge.

Rich Brown is the founder, owner, and creator of the Georgia based company, Pottery32. After attending his first pottery class at the age of 32 in Decatur, GA, Rich began an artistic journey to not only pursue an undeniable new found passion, but to also inspire those around him. With a spirited "it's never too late" mantra and a true love of the art, Rich has made pottery a huge part of his life. Rich has a detailed focused tenacity that has him eager to continue to learn his craft and has given him the ability to share his appreciation for people through each piece he creates.

John Cheer does about 24 shows per year, primarily along the east coast and the South, but has gone as far as Texas, Colorado, and Arizona. John has won over 85 awards for his work over the years at fine art and craft shows. John has been featured in Ceramics Monthly and Crafts Report and exhibited his "Soul Search" lamp and fountain at the State Museum in Harrisburg, PA. RCN's Channel 53, Ebru TV's "Blank Canvas" segment featured John in February, 2010, Season 2:4. "Mandalas For World Peace" outdoor sculpture 5'x9'

Ana Leal is originally from Brazil and came to the US when she was eighteen to attend College. Ana fell in love with Pottery in 2011 by accident, when she joined a Pottery/Ceramics club through her work, which quickly became her passion. Now a retired Aeronautical Engineer and with her 3D Computer Aided Design background has given Ana an advantage when working with clay. Ana makes one of a kind wheel-thrown, altered, and carved pieces. Ana describes her work as tropical inspired with a 3-D surface texture that begs to be touched. She uses porcelain mainly for its translucency and whiteness which it's like no other. Ana is hoping to make a positive impact on people's lives through her art.

Catie Webster is a potter and public high school art teacher. Catie is driven to make Art that you want to pick up, use, and enjoy Catie's art serves a purpose, has a function, and looks beautiful in your home. Catie is inspired by nature and the colors of New Hampshire landscapes.

Anna Valenti weaves and pinches clay vessels ranging from pots to chairs to screens. Anna graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2014 with her BA, practiced there again in 2017 as a ceramics post-baccalaureate student, and received her MFA from the Maine College of Art in 2020. Anna is the recipient of the 2020 NCECA Graduate Student Fellowship. Anna's research is in hemp clay bodies.

Carla Sealey founded Naked Clay Ceramics which is a collection of handmade, minimal style ceramics in porcelain and black stoneware. Inspired by the colours and textures of the earth, the feel of natural, unglazed clay allows a tactile connection, bringing an opportunity to pause and savour a quiet moment in the hustle of life.

Claire and Elise Surma are the sister-in-law duo with a passion for clay, community, and customer care. Claire and Elise started making pots for friends and family in a small corner of our home garage. After running into hiccups with purchasing making materials, our pottery hobby quickly spun into a larger business idea. At Garage Clay Claire and Elise aim to make ceramics more accessible to potters at any point in their creative journey. At both garageclay.com and at their physical retail shop, Claire and Elese sell clay, glazes, pottery tools, their own line of comfy clay-approved swag, and their own select finished pots.

Andi Hoffmann started her journey with clay in 2013, taking a local pottery class and getting her hands messy in lots of drop in studio hours. After studying biology and conservation science at the University of Victoria, Andi combined her love of nature with her love of art and started Hoff the Grid Goods in 2017. Working out of a small studio in Victoria, BC, Canada, Andi creates west coast, nature-inspired functional ceramics, where each design tells a story. Andi's hope is that her work inspires mindful, compassionate living.