The Potters Cast

Justin Donofrio grew up in Santa Cruz, CA where he was introduced to pottery at Cabrillo Community College. Justin then joined the vibrant Colorado community of artist in 2013 in the Roaring Fork Valley where he continued his clay education with the support of Anderson Ranch, The Carbondale Clay Center, and The Studio for Arts and Works (SAW). Justin remained in Colorado to complete a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from CSU Fort Collins in 2016. Justin is nationally represented in galleries throughout the U.S. Justin was an exhibiting artist and tour manager with the Artstream Nomadic Gallery in 2017 and will be again in 2018. Justin will also be participating in Art of the Pot (Austin Ceramic Studio Tour) in the spring 2018. Currently Justin maintains a full time studio pottery at Art 342 in Fort Collins. The diversity of the front range of the Rockies lends itself to a balance between Justin's love of rock climbing, the outdoors, and the arts. Justin's palette of color and form are drawn from the exquisite and enduring beauty of the alpine landscape.

Ben Gaboury, of Scrimshaw Pottery, is a New England artist who grew up in Massachusetts, and received a fine arts degree studying ceramics in Portland, Maine. After developing skills for wheel throwing, he began experimenting with combining the 2 dimensional with 3 dimensional by adding illustrations to his pieces. He began thinking of his vessels as a canvas rather than just functional objects. Immediately he began portraying imagery that told stories. Never living far from the ocean, Ben saw scrimshaw as an easy and appropriate art form to combine with his contemporary wares. His work follows a utilitarian necessity that is artistically refined to be elegant and present a sense of splendor to the user.

Sunshine Cobb is back on The Potters Cast and she wrote a book, Mastering Handbuilding. Once I discovered the book was out, it was time to get Sunshine on the show again to get the inside scoop on her book and an update since Sunshine's first visit on the show. Sunshine's new book is full of beautiful pictures depicting examples of her masterful handling of clay as she explains the process of the craft of handbuilding functional wares.

Joel Cherrico is back on The Potters Cast for another conversation. This time Joel spends some time talking about the power of chasing goals, finding an audience, and an award that he is helping to sponsor. Together with The American Craft Council, Joel is hosting the Emerging Pottery Business Awards. The goal is the find artists whose work and business embodies talent, passion, and business skills.

This is a little different. The feature guest is Chef David Mork who is going to be talking about the Kiln to Kitchen show. It was a discussion with David that kicked off the idea of furthering the Farm to Table movement by getting the tableware to be made from local potters.

Ryan Reich teaches ceramics and serves as the Visual Arts Chair at Valencia High School in Placentia, California. Two of his star ceramic students, Moriah Ritchie and Masey Park, stayed after school with Ryan and talked clay over Skype with Paul. This was an fascinating conversation about the passion for ceramics as seen from both sides of the desk- The teacher and the students.

Katie Marks lives and works in Seattle, Washington. Clay is a life long passion for Katie and she feels so fortunate to be able to do what she loves for work. Katie has been creating things since before she can remember starting with play-doh, moving to polymer, and now finally with ceramics. Katie took three ceramics classes at her local community college in 2008 but it wasn't until after Katie acquired her first potters wheel in 2010 that she attended the University of Youtube. Katie says, "You can learn anything on the internet."

Adam Chau received a Masters in Design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work combines digital technologies with traditional studio ceramics; recent writings on this topic include Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics Technical, and Studio Potter. He has lectured and demonstrated across the United States, including the NCECA Fablab. He has worked internationally, notably at Atelier Ted Noten in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. As a curator, he has produced exhibitions for Clay Art Center, The Clay Studio, and the New York Ceramics and Glass Fair. ​​​​

Tim Kowalcyck makes another appearance on The Potters Cast. Tim's last guest appearance was way back in October of 2016 in episode 254. Back then Tim was working multiple jobs and making his "cardboard" cups as a side hustle. Now Tim is full time as a maker of his ceramic creations. In this episode Tim talks about what it took for him to make the transition.

Erin and Jason Hall, owners of Alberta Pottery (Greenville, SC), are full-time artists creating studio pottery and sculptural ceramics. Jason earned his BFA from Clemson University; Erin a BA from Stetson University and MFA from Clemson. They work in stoneware, fire gas reduction, and exhibit nationally at juried shows.

British potter, Kate Malone is studio potter, ceramic artist, and judge. Kate is known for large sculptural vessels and for being a judge on the popular BBC2's The Great Pottery Throw Down. Her work richly glazed with bright colors. After leaving the Royal College of Art, Kate began working in the South Bank Craft Centre. On display in a number of public locations, Kate's work is also highly sought after for private collections.

Shilpy Gupta was born with an artistic bend of mind. Early childhood saw her putting her thoughts on canvas. During her stay in the U.S, she came across a Pottery exhibition and enrolled herself for a class. From then on, she has never looked back. Shilpy has developed a fully equipped Pottery Studio in her house, and has been creating beautiful art pieces for the last 15 years.

Eric Beavers lives in Nesbit, MS but was born and raised in Northwest, NM. The culture and scenery of the American Southwest has influenced the techniques and colors of the functional pottery he makes. Eric graduated from the University of Mississippi and now works full time as an art instructor.

Introducing Kiln to Kitchen. Kiln to Kitchen is about connecting potters with chefs. With the farm to table movement that is growing in its impact and importance in the food industry, there is another ingredient that needs to be addressed... the plates that the food is served on. The vast majority of restaurants are using mass produced table settings with a complete absence of the maker's hands. Kiln to Kitchen is going to help to close that gap and shine a light on this issue by connecting potters with chefs which will give the chef's handmade food a handmade table settings.

Any Guelmann is a potter who moved from Brazil to Brooklyn to Seattle. For Any architecture was first, photography next, metal and clay forever. Any aims to produce work that's devoid of purpose. If Any's art can be used as a tool for social and political change, she says that she will have failed.

Meredith Host was born and raised in Detroit, MI. She received her BFA in Ceramics from Kansas City Art Institute in 2001 and her MFA in Ceramics from The Ohio State University in 2008. She was named one of the 2011 Emerging Artists for NCECA and Ceramics Monthly, and in 2016 was a Presenter at the Utilitarian Clay Symposium. Currently, Meredith is a full time studio potter who teaches workshops around the country and is a founding member of the Kansas City Urban Potters.

Cindy Bracker is the Communications Director for NCECA and the former Director at Large for NCECA. Cindy is also helping to run the family business of Brackers Good Earth Clays which is a local ceramic supply house in Lawrence Kansas. And, as the picture above indicates, Cindy is also a competitive cyclist. For today's episode of The Potters Cast Cindy is talking through great tips on how to attend NCECA.

Tim Sherman is a potter making functional, utilitarian pottery on an electric potters wheel. Sherman glazes and single fires all of his work in a large wood-burning anagama style kiln at his home in Frederick, Md. He makes everything from tableware: cups, mugs, bowls, plates, pitchers to decorative vases, jugs, and large scale jars. Although Sherman has control over the form and glaze he applies on his pieces, much of the final outcome is left to the mercy of the kiln. Over three days, layers of ash land of the pieces and eventually get hot enough to melt into an additional glaze. Though many of the forms are similar, no two pieces will ever be the same. Evidence of flame pattering and firing length is a huge part of the aesthetic in his work. Each piece tells a story of where and how it was packed into the kiln as the fire leaves markings on their surfaces as it fights to exit the chimney of the kiln.

Greg Daly lives in Australia. His career spans over 40 years. He is a thrower at heart and has a passion for the glazed surface. His current focus is lustre glazes, which give a unique surface and wide spectrum of colours that evokes the vivid hues and atmospheric qualities seen in the Australian landscape. Greg is nearing his 100th solo exhibition, has written three books on glazing and lustre and his work has been acquired by over 80 public collections throughout Australia and 15 other countries.

Abe & Eli Lowham are college students attending the University of Wyoming. Abe & Eli grew up in a small town called Lander, Wyoming. The brothers started throwing pottery in high school and have continued with their passion in their shared studio basement while skipping class. Abe is a freshman dual majoring in mechanical engineering and art. Eli is a senior majoring in speech pathology.

Will Talbot comes by his love for pottery honestly. Growing up in a family of sculptors, architects, and potters, Will has spent a lifetime saturated with a love for the form. Will's pottery is inspired by textures and forms he finds in nature, and the fluidity and flexibility of the medium.

James C. Watkins is a ceramic artist whose work is included in the White House Collection of American Crafts, and the Shigaraki Institute of Ceramic Studies in Shigaraki, Japan. Mr. Watkins is a Paul Whitfield Horn Professor. The Horn Professorship is the highest honor that Texas Tech University may bestow on members of its faculty. Horn Professorships are granted to professors in recognition of national and international distinction for outstanding research or other creative scholarly achievements. Mr. Watkins teaches Architectural Ceramics and Architectural Drawing in the College of Architecture. He is also a recipient of the Texas Tech University President's Excellence in Teaching Award. He is a 2005 Fulbright Scholar, Teaching in Vietnam at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture. He is the co-author of two books, "Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques" published by Lark Books and "Architectural Delineation, Presentation Techniques and Projects" published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. His work is also the subject of a book entitled "A Meditation of Fire the Art of James C. Watkins" by Kippra D. Hopper published by Texas Tech University Press. He received his B.F.A. from the Kansas City Art Institute, and his M.F.A. from Indiana University.

Courtney Puig's passion is to create with clay, to chase her ideas, and strive to perfect her process. At Fort Collins High School in 2000 Courtney was introduced to clay. It was not until 2013 that Courtney began to pursue the craft seriously at Lightwave Pottery on Kaua'i. Dean McRaine supports many clay artists on island. With a nudge from Dean Courtney took a leap, invested in a kiln, and began creating on her lanai. In the years that followed Courtney sold her work at markets to travelers and local residents, collaborated with businesses, and was represented by two galleries. In the summer of 2016, Courtney traveled to Copenhagen for a week workshop with Eric Landon. In December of 2016 Courtney had several of her pieces make it into the Ceramics of Hawaii state exhibition. At the beginning of 2017, through Instagram, David Kuraoka reached out inquiring about Courtney's clay body, experience and he eventually offered suggestions on how to improve. He said Courtney was learning in the dark and encouraged her to attend NCECA in Portland. That trip opened Courtney's eyes to this field, was overwhelmingly inspirational, and motivated Courtney to make a big change.

Tiffany Thomas is a potter and painter from Florence, South Carolina, where she grew up in a large family on a farm outside of town. Tiffany found art at Francis Marion University and immediately fell in love, immersing herself into clay and painting. Tiffany received her BA from Francis Marion University in 2012 and she now runs a brick and mortar artisan shop and art studio in a revitalized area of downtown Florence. Tiffany's clay work is carved porcelain gemstone pieces and layered abstract paintings. Tiffany's gemstone pottery depicts the fragility of humanity- it's her way of coping with racism, fear, and confusion. While growing up Tiffany was deeply sensitive to the world around her and often retreated into herself for comfort. During her teenage years, Tiffany dealt with bullying and racism, but didn't develop a way of healing until she found solace in clay. Tiffany's work has evolved from carving words and phrases of self care into her pieces to layered complex gems that depict positive thoughts and emotions. The lush, overly layered colors and textures mimic a constant reminder to be gentle and take care of one's self. The world can be harsh and strenuous. Tiffany's hope is that her work calls you to admire and remember the preciousness of life.

Fin Barnes-Long is 12 years old and his love of ceramics started in an after-school activity about a year ago. Fin now has his own studio in the corner of the family garage where he loves creating something out of nothing, and making it as perfect as he can!

Ben Jordan was born and raised in the American Southwest. He earned a bachelors degree in Sociology at Northern Arizona University before discovering a passion for clay in 2006. After completing a Bachelors of Fine Art in ceramics at Northern Arizona University he went on to work and apprentice in the city of Groningen, in the Netherlands. After finishing a residency at the Red Lodge Clay Center in 2014, he went on to obtain his Masters in Fine Art in ceramics from Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduate school Ben completed a year long ceramics residency at Pocosin Arts in North Carolina. In September of 2017 Ben will be headed to Montana to begin a long term residency at The Clay Studio of Missoula.

Molly McGuire | Episode 380 Molly McGuire graduated with a BA in ceramics from Central Connecticut State University. Molly's work is focused on texture and creating a tactile experience in everyday objects such as mugs, cups, and lamps. When Molly is not creating, she serves as the gallery coordinator for the university and works at a local museum.

Tabbatha Henry is a ceramic artist, designer, and educator in Vermont. A sculptor by nature, Tabbatha currently runs a business creating translucent porcelain lighting and site specific installation sculpture. Tabbatha's work can be purchased in fine art galleries across the country, as well as a catalog or two, online via Tabbatha's website, and in her flagship retail and design studio.

Naomi Clement is an artist and educator who explores ideas of home and belonging through the powerful lens of functional ceramics. She received her MFA from Louisiana State University in 2017, and her B.F.A from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design University in 2003. Naomi has exhibited her work throughout the U.S. and Canada, and was recently named a 2017 Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly magazine.

Olivia Walker originally studied English Literature and History in Edinburgh, but after graduating she took a summer job in a craft gallery and fell in love with the ceramics she was selling. This led Olivia on a ten year journey in which she went to Japan and lived with a potter, completed an MA in ceramics, and completed a year long part-time apprenticeship with Julian Stair. Olivia is now working as a ceramicist and mainly based in Barcelona, but with another studio in Devon, England, which is waiting for her to return to it.

Australian ceramist Larissa Warren has her own unique approach to clay. With a passion for traditional Japanese neriage techniques, Larissa creates some engaging surfaces. Working with translucent porcelain, she utilises plaster moulds and incredibly thin slip casting techniques and combines a variety of coloured clays and rocks, such as trachyte, with elaborate mixed clay pattern blocks.

Coleton Lunt makes functional pottery and sculptural vessels. He fires his work in atmospheric kilns, utilizing the spontaneous nature of flame to decorate the surface of his work. He is equally passionate about teaching and loves sharing ideas and inspiration.

Samantha McInnis is a native Floridian potter who spends her days creating ocean inspired ceramic art. Her primary source of inspiration is Florida's eastern coastline. Her art is characterized by coastal colors, flowing shapes and fine craftsmanship. After passing her portfolio review, Samantha was approved for her Bachelor of Fine Art concentrating in Ceramics from Florida Atlantic University. She graduated in 2011 upon completion of the student installation exhibition, Gamut. Samantha has since been evolving her craft as well as her company The Clay Cache. For the last three years, she has been participating in art shows throughout the east coast. She has shown her work in places such as the West Palm Beach Bridal Expo, Coral Gables Mad Hatter Festival and the Deerfield Beach Festival of the Arts. Some weekends she is set up at a monthly art walk in Fort Lauderdale and others she can be found at larger events such as the Dania Beach Arts & Seafood Festival. When she is not busy with shows she can be found in her Pompano beach studio inside Bailey Contemporary Art Center working on new ideas. Besides pop up shops, Samantha sells her work online through Etsy and Amazon Handmade. The Clay Cache can also be found in a few exclusive Florida boutique stores. Samantha's work is meant to serve as beautiful reminders to respect the natural world around us.

Ross Estep is 22 years old. Ross was born without his left arm from the elbow down, but that has never stopped Ross from chasing down his dreams. Ross has always been determined to try everything, including pottery! Now Ross is hooked on clay and there's no looking back.

Victoria Pamlenyi is a master sculptor, pyromaniac, and glaze alchemist. Victoria brings rehydrated dust of mountains to new life by shaping unique retrofuturistic creatures and fanged pots in her laboratory for inter-silicate research. Victoria is a fearless explorer, centrifugal sculptor, and is always ready to expertly share her supreme knowledge of everything clay with students and colleagues alike.

A mother, wife, artist, and wanderer, Deidra Krois is making and loving life in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. Mostly a self taught potter, she currently creates in her strawbale home studio at 8800'. Her artistic voice grew out of the mantra: Make Art. Live Simply. Be Happy. Dream Big. She makes functional and decorative ceramics that display hand stamped and decal words, quotes, poetry and images meant to create connections and inspire happiness. Her work is influenced by a love of words and her mountain lifestyle. She launched her ceramics business, Wishing Star Pottery in 2013 with a local farmer's market booth. In 2017 she opened the Mountain Girl Gallery in historic downtown Ridgway, Colorado where she shows her work with 3 other talented women. She strives to inspire the world one pot at a time.

With a background in chemistry and four years of work experience in science labs, Sean Roberts brings an experimental mindset to his artistic process. Sean's work is constantly changing as he develops new tools in his experimentation in the studio. Sean is deeply fascinated by the underlying randomness in the patterns and structures of nature. Sean's primary current work is the product of 4 years of experimentation with marbling colored slips. Colored liquid clays are mixed and poured to create the vast array of patterns.

Adam and Sarah Spector met covered in clay while completing BFA degrees in Ceramics at Alfred University. As a couple they have built both a studio and a life together in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Over the course of their careers, they've learned to share the work load and explore many different making-processes through their love of clay. Adam and Sarah have been full time ceramic artists since 2002 and have participated in 20 juried art shows each year as well as working with galleries to sell their pottery and sculpture.

Melanie Sherman currently resides and works in Kansas City, Missouri. She has a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute. She completed various residencies, recently at the Archie Bray Foundation and Anderson Ranch. She was awarded the 2014 Regina Brown Undergraduate Fellowship (NCECA) and the 2014 Windgate Fellowship Award.

Adam Buick is a ceramic artist based in West Wales. Following a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology he turned to ceramics training in Ireland and Wales. Since 2006 he has built a nationwide reputation and has exhibited internationally. In 2013 Buick was selected for the Jerwood Makers Open, other recent exhibitions include Beaux Arts Bath, Joanna Bird London and Corvi-Mora London. Buick has been widely published and has work in public and private collections around the world including The British Museum and the National Museum, Cardiff.

Kevin "Turkey" Merck makes functional ceramic ware with a horror twist. Kevin's work is painstakingly handcrafted and custom glazed which makes each mug an individual piece of art. Though some work has a mold as a starting point, Kevin spends hours shaping and forming through hands-on craftsmanship. Kevin also incorporates fantasy and sci-fi elements into his work when the mood strikes him.

Mollie Bosworth has a ceramics career of more than thirty years, living in far north Queensland, Australia. Living in places limited access to ceramics courses, she has been mostly a self taught potter. She has explored many techniques with her current work utilizing porcelain, usually wheel thrown and featuring soluble metallic salts, decals or crater surfaces.

Cathy Franzi is an Australian artist making ceramic work inspired by plants, science, and the environment. She holds a BSC from the University of Sydney and an MVA and a PhD in Ceramics from the Australian National University. When she is not in her studio she may be found botanising in the field, studying natural history collections or admiring botanical ceramics in museums.

This is a special episode that was recorded live at Georgies' open house. I sat down with ceramic artists Ruth Greenberg, Rabun Thompson, and Sharon Greenwood. We talked very extensively about the role of social media for today's growth of a potter's business.

Bradley Klem has lived much of his life in Arizona and was first introduced to clay while studying painting at Arizona State University. Since completing his undergraduate degree in 2014 with a focus on ceramics Brad has been regularly exhibiting his work in national and international exhibitions as well as hosting workshops and presentations across the U.S. In 2015 he partnered with Alexandra Jelleberg to co-found, coordinate and direct "GrowlerFest 2015 East and West." As a founding director of GrowlerFest it is his aim to emphasize the link between the craft brewery movement and the vitality of handmade pottery. Currently he is an MFA candidate at Penn State University.

Kristen McDermaid is an artist working in Salt Lake City and Park City Utah. She received her MFA in 2015 from the University of Utah. She studied Ceramics at Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea in 2005. Kristen is passionate about making functional, sculptural, and conceptual ceramic works.

Annie Quigley of Quigley Ceramics is an actor turned ceramic artist. When the "industry" took its toll she found a new home in clay. Her signature style is highly detailed pierced forms. Inspired by shadow play, she slices designs into her clay reminiscent of forests, lace, mandalas, leaves, even a sea turtle.

Colby Charpentier is an Artist in Residence at The Morean Center for Clay in St. Petersburg, Florida. He received a BFA in Ceramics and Glass from Alfred University in 2013 and worked as a studio assistant to Chris Gustin and Daniel Clayman between 2013 and 2016. He most recently completed a 6-month residency at Sonoma Ceramics in Sonoma, California.

Elizabeth Pechacek was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, by her artist mother and chemist father. She grew up making all manner of things and found her way to clay in college. She earned a BFA in ceramics and a BA in art history from Indiana University in 2012. She now operates her ceramic studio in Minneapolis and teaches at Powderhorn Park and The Northern Clay Center. Her work is all either handbuilt or slip cast from handbuilt prototypes. Layered with slip, stains, and glaze, the work achieves a rich and complex surface that above all communicates a sense of touch. Pechacek draws from a diverse range of historical sources, such as Mimbres and Neolithic Chinese pottery. She bridges these influences with Danish Modern Ceramics and the work of such pioneers as Lucie Rie and Ruth Duckworth.

Lauren Karle is a potter and social artist inspired by people – their food, traditions, and place. Lauren's goal is to have her work serve a purpose beyond its utilitarian function by designing it for who and how it will be used. Lauren's aesthetic is inspired by the two and a half years she lived in Guatemala and her work evolves with both the people she meets and the places she goes. Lauren currently lives in rural New Mexico making, writing, teaching, collaborating, and always learning.