The Potters Cast

Karrita Renzelmann of Queen Bee Pottery fell in love with clay when her husband surprised her with a pottery wheel for her birthday in 2006. She began with introductory classes at the local college and couldn't get enough of the intrinsic feeling of delight, focus, and comfort that came with placing her hands in clay and creating. It was in the garden that the love of nature and creativity were planted in her heart. This love of unifying the beauty of nature with the creation of functional and decorative pottery is the inspiration for Queen Bee Pottery. The ongoing growth of her relationship with clay is nurtured with excitement and curiosity about how the journey will evolve and change in her lifetime. Karrita continues to be amazed, inspired, and grateful for the connections that her pottery creates with customers worldwide.

Steven Showalter is a Potter and High School Art Teacher in Minnesota. His current work is inspired by his wood-firing experiences. His desire to capture the unpredictability of wood-firing led him to work extensively with glaze development to create a rich palette of runny glazes that are inspired by his surroundings.

The star of today's episode is NCECA! Portland, OR was the host this year for the annual conference. Thousands of clay people invaded the city from all over the world. I personally met people that traveled from Norway, Australia, Canada, and Brazil. And of course, lots of people from the US. I walked around the conference and related areas and had conversations with lots of different people. The show notes for this episode will have pictures of the people's work that I talked to, and links to their Instagram pages. They will be displayed in the order in which they appear in the episode. I think there is only one person that didn't have any point of contact for me to track down.

As a full time Studio Potter since 2003, Jeff Rottman has developed a community studio with 32 members and launched a pottery tool company which is reaching across the globe. Jeff's entrance into being a studio potter started with a loss of a traditional job due to economic downturn. Jeff was energized by the cooking shows of the Food Network along with the melodies of Johnny Cash (Drive On).

Sam Parry is an art teacher for the Meridian School District, a ski instructor at Jackson Hole Ski resort, and a ceramist. Throwing on the wheel has been a passion of Sam's since he was in high school. Making art that is both functional and beautiful is Sam's ultimate goal. Knowing that someone uses Sam's art in their daily lives is what he loves about making pottery.

Howard Koerth is a nationally recognized ceramic artist currently residing in Oklahoma City, teaching at Rose State College. For the past 25 years his work has been included in invitational and juried exhibitions both national and internationally. In 2003 Mr. Koerth served as Artist in Residence at the Tainan National College of the Arts in Taiwan, an experience that influenced his current visual exploration.

The mic gets turned around in this special episode of The Potters Cast: Some member of The Potters Business Mastermind interview me, Paul Blais. This is in celebration of hitting episode 300 and in honor of such a great accomplishment I asked for some volunteers from the mastermind group to spend some time with me on Google Hangouts and do a special edition for The Potters Cast. It was a lot of fun spending this special time with them and I am really happy to be able to share it with you. Our interviewers are Elizabeth Borowsky, Carly Gibran, Kathleen Blohm, and Bebe Federman.

Luke Huling is a figurative sculptor from Harrisburg Pennsylvania. Luke graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in May of 2014 and received his BFA in ceramics and a minor in metalsmithing. For two years following undergrad Luke was the long term resident at The LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln Nebraska, teaching throwing, hand building, and introductory metals classes. Currently Luke is attending Indiana University in their MFA program located in Bloomington, Indiana. He continues to use clay and metal and combines them together in mixed media sculptures.

Paul Tholl is a Wyoming-raised, Western Colorado-living potter, and Art educator. Paul received concurrent BA/BS from the University of a Wyoming in 2011 and has been living in Grand Junction, CO for the majority of the time since. Paul is married and has a 10 month old son.

Eunbi Cho is a traditionalist with a contemporary approach. Eunbi's (pronounced Un-Be) work celebrates the spirited and special space that exists between structure and fluidity, precision, and poetry. Throughout her work, Eunbi reflects upon user/object interaction with unique and playful intention. Eunbi spent her early childhood in Korea before moving with her family to Waterloo,Belgium. In her new surroundings Eunbi discovered a renewed sense of freedom and the importance of creativity and individuality. After studying Fiber art in Korea, Eunbi moved to Los Angeles in 2011. Eunbi is committed to creating unexpected and thoughtfully designed objects that embody her life's experie

Shay Church is based in Kalamazoo, Mi. Shay is co-owner of Grayling Ceramics with his wife, Maura Church. For the past 18 years Shay has also created wet-clay and wood installations of whales, elephants, wolves, and trees left to decay in abandoned buildings, fields, parking lots, and galleries across North America.

After starting pottery as a couple's hobby, Stephanie Yap and Matthew Vrettas started Ghost Wares together in their tiny home studio. After leaving his job in interior design, Matthew took over the making and day to day operations, whilst Stephanie is involved on a broader level, balancing this with her career as a freelance graphic designer.

Joan Bruneau is a professional Studio Potter and Regular Part-Time Ceramics Faculty at NSCAD University. She maintains her studio/showroom, Nova Terra Cotta in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Joan was born in 1963 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her love of travel and food sparked her desire to become a potter after discovering the authentic cuisines and pottery traditions of Europe on a trip in 1983-84. She went on to earn her BFA from NSCAD University in 1988, and MFA from the University of Minnesota in 1993. Bruneaus work is exhibited throughout North America and is in recognized private and public collections. Bruneaus work is also published in current Ceramics publications including the feature article Idyllic Place; The Work Of Joan Bruneau by Andrea Marquis in Ceramics Monthly magazine ( April 2014) the ebook, American iPottery by Kevin Hluch , 2014 and Mastering The Potter's Wheel by Ben Carter ( 2016)

Lesley McInally completed her Bachelor of Design Honours Degree in Ceramics and Printmaking at Dundee University, Scotland. For the first 8 years of her career she worked as a full time professional ceramic artist producing both functional and decorative ceramics for galleries throughout the UK. Additionally she taught ceramics in various educational environments both to adults and children. In 2004 she immigrated to Canada where she continued her studio practice in Cookstown, Ontario. Since arriving in Canada Lesley developed her unique style of stretched slab hand built paperclay sculptures and vessels which contain a rich depth of surface texture. Incorporating her printmaking skills she has also developed a highly tactile surface using coloured porcelain slips, underglazes and a mono print technique. She continues to be invited to demonstrate her intriguing working methods to numerous guilds, educational establishments and arts associations throughout Ontario. Lesley has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and grants and exhibits her work nationally and internationally.

Daniel Gillberg is a Swedish maker situated in the Oslo area in Norway. By making playful functional pots for every day use, he seeks to promote the values and the use of hand made. His work mainly involve dark firing earthenware and slip, decorated with various decals, paper resists and luster.

Jon Almeda is a miniature ceramic artist located in Tacoma, Washington. Raised in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest Jon finds inspiration in the ever changing cloud formations in the sky and the movement of the tides. Jon's practice is a response to the colors, energies, textures and composition of his life. Years ago he came across a book called "Creating Ceramic Miniatures" that dramatically changed his outlook and approach. He went the opposite direction and started to see how small he could throw. He discovered that working small was much harder than he imagined. After 15 years of creating miniatures he is still challenging himself to improve and to try new things with each kiln load. Almeda's pieces are so impressive because without any scale or context they look exactly like their larger counterpart in detail and proportion.

In 2005 Joshua Flicker completed a BFA in Art Education with an emphasis in ceramics. That same year he moved to Salt Lake City, got married, and accepted a teaching job at Park City High School. He has been enjoying the mountains, sharing his art, and honing his craft ever since.

Born and raised in Humble, Texas, Christopher Melia moved to Corpus Christi in 2001 to extend his education at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Shortly after engaging in ceramic courses offered at the university, he became an apprentice to a local studio potter, William Wilhelmi. In 2006, he received his BFA in Ceramics. He continued to work for Wilhelmi and take additional classes until moving to Denton, Texas for graduate school at the University of North Texas. Chris finished his MFA in 2011. He currently lives in Whitesboro TX with his wife and two sons, teaches at Little Elm High School, and makes work in his home studio.

Noa Weintraub is an artist, and ceramicist based in London, UK. After completing her fine art degree at Chelsea College of Art, Noa launched her handbag label, selling one-off hand-painted handbags to exclusive boutiques and celebrity clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Simultaneously, she also began fashion styling, working closely with iconic art director Judy Blame. In 2007 she then redirected her career back to her fine art roots and became a full time artist and illustrator. Still very much inspired by fashion and her love of vintage, fabrics, textures and patterns, these continue to provide a constant reference point. In 2011 she enrolled onto a ceramics evening class and has not looked back since.

Kirstin Davidson, Hilde Lambrechts and Kim Lulashnyk are three potters from the Ottawa Guild of Potters who have put together a community-based ceramic art installation of over 9000 roses, fleurs de lis and feathers as part of Canada's 150th year celebrations in 2017. Populace will be set in a park at the Canadian Museum of Nature and will be on display from June 17-September 4, 2017. Community studios, individual potters, high school students, seniors and members of the public will participate in guided making-sessions throughout the year. Kirstin, Kim and Hilde are honored to bring their love of clay into the community on behalf of the Ottawa Guild of Potters and share in the making of a significant public art inst

Sharon Greenwood is a full time potter living in Portland, Oregon. She grew up outside of New Orleans and received her BFA from the University of Southern Mississippi in graphic design, with a minor in sculpture. This is where she first learned to love clay. After 15 years in advertising, she took a sabbatical and enrolled in a local clay class. She loved it so much, she decided to retire and start her second career as a potter. She works out of her home studio, creating wheelthrown, handcarved home decor and tableware that are inspired by the Oregon coast and her garden.

San Diego potter, Merle Lambeth, is known for her delicately folded thin slabs of clay,use of textures and green glazes. Each piece shows her attention to detail and finishing. Merle's training is mainly through attending workshops. She splits her time between creating new work and managing Clay Artists of San Diego, a non-profit clay organization.

Jen Fontanella is a ceramist in Overland Park, Kansas. She makes brightly colored contemporary pieces for the home and garden. Everything is made in small batches honoring the art of handmade. She's a California native, a mother to a two-year-old, an ethnic food junkie and a craft beer enthusiast

Mike Flower is a potter and teacher in Los Angeles, CA. Primarily an educator, his days are largely spent running a thriving high school studio that sees 200 students daily. He also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. His ceramic work is mostly utilitarian.

Amy Hamley is a ceramicist living and working in Berkeley, California. Her work draws inspiration from her travels and daily hikes around the Bay Area. She lives with her husband, Ryan, and her shih tzu, Perro.

Sage Cortez is the hands of Hand & Fire Ceramics. Sage is a designer, ceramist, and craftswoman focusing on perfecting qualities of hand within functional tableware. Sage's work is intended to bring life to any table it is brought to--to be a refresher in a world of casted, symmetrical, and manufactured goods. Currently Sage is finishing up her BFA as a sculpture major in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. It is important to Sage that all her materials are locally sourced, food safe, and well made to provide you with the best quality to her ability. Hand & Fire is Sage's inspiration towards being creative every day; whether it be clay or flour, Sage always has her hands in something.

Laurie Goldstein is a potter who is in love with ceramics, with function, with beauty. Laurie is a mother to two great kids and a wife to a great guy named Guy... Laurie was born in NYC and when she was 8 her family moved to Israel where Laurie grew up, went to school, served her 2 year compulsory army service, and got her BFA in set and costume for theatre. Laurie then returned to the states for studies at NYU and then Alfred University. Then back to Israel where Laurie started her studio 22 years ago and has been working away happily since.

Chris is a ceramic artist living in Virginia He has been a ceramic artist for 14 years Chris is married to his wife, Jordan, who is also an artist and they have a 4 month old baby, Cambrie. He recently publish an article titled "Winter Blues" in Pottery Making Illustrated

Leilani Trinka is a ceramic artist, born and raised in Hawaii but now living in Singapore. She works exclusively in porcelain and specializes in creating hand built objects with a functional approach. Her work is made from textured slabs, is generally small in scale, is highly detailed and meticulously crafted. Leilani is enthused by pattern and inspired by both the manmade and the natural worlds. She produces work that brings her joy and makes her smile.

Elaine Fallon trained as a potter in Thomastown Pottery Skills course in Co Kilkenny. Elaine is now 45 years old, mother of 3, and a puppy. Elaine's husband is an architectural photographer and after the recession they jokingly set up what they call Brookwood Enterprises. (Brookwood is the name of the road they live on!) Donal moved from his studio from the city centre and built a studio next to Elaine's pottery. So Donal and Elaine have a very busy house with work, studio assistants, children, and everyday life mixed altogether. Elaine makes functional wheel based work mostly in porcelain stoneware. Elaine lived in New York in her early twenties and used to take the train to Kew Gardens to splash around in a studio called the Potter's Wheel which still exists today!

Sarah is a ceramic artist in Portland, Oregon. Sarah's business, Wolf Ceramics, is just over a year old. Sarah found ceramics in high school and had a healthy clay obsession throughout college in eastern Washington while working on a degree in geochemistry. Sarah's initial years after college were spent traveling, farming in the San Juan Islands, and climbing in the Cascade Mountains. Sarah couldn't bring herself to get a real job in the field of geochemistry, and after seriously considering and then scraping the idea of architecture school, Sarah came back to clay. Sarah decided to go back to school for ceramics and studied at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, where she hatched the idea for her business. A year and half ago, Sarah entered a matched savings grant program with Mercy Corps Northwest that supports new businesses. The funds from this grant came in August of 2016, kickstarted her business into a new space, and helped fund the purchase of studio equipment. Now that Sarah has a space of her own, she is taking on larger wholesale accounts with local businesses and eager to collaborate with other local businesses and crafts people!

Adrienne Eliades is a studio artist living in Vancouver, Washington. She has been extremely fortunate to move all over the country for her work. A recent MFA graduate in Ceramics from the University of Florida in May 2016, Adrienne is currently working at the Ash Street Project in Portland, Oregon.

Maggie Beyeler started her studio, Magpie Pottery in the desert outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico 17 years ago. Formally trained at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Maggie earned her MFA in ceramics in 1993. Since that time Maggie has operated her own studio, taught at various colleges and universities throughout the area, and has become known for her image transfer tableware.

Marla Benton's work is colourful, humorous, and playful. Marla's clay pieces are influenced by everyday adventures combined with nature, children, and daily living. Marla earned her education through the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, the Ontario College of Art and Design (BFA), and Nipissing University (BED). Through all her experiences, Marla has been exposed to many different materials. Marla found that clay is the most complimentary medium, as she loves to play in mud, sculpting three dimensional, fanciful objects that echo the joys in her life.

Zoë Johnson is a ceramicist living and working on the Big Island of Hawaii. Much of her work occupies the space between functional and decorative, her vessels are embraced as physical representations of memory or gratitude, evoking a fleeting sea breeze or the salty reminiscence of a day at the beach.

Luke Eastop is a ceramicist with a background in the creative arts, and more recently as a chef. Both occupations have informed the development of his work, focusing on pared-down ceramic pieces, exploring the basic material qualities of clay, form, function and utility. He started making ceramics following the passing away of his grandfather, British studio potter Geoffrey Eastop, and is currently working in his studio in Berkshire.

Connie Pike started her clay journey in 1971 and since 1978 she has been making her full-time living as a ceramic artist in Alberta, Canada. Connie's approach to working with clay evolves as she investigate a balance between function and aesthetic. Shapes and designs build upon themselves and new versions of form and decoration filter through the body of work and refresh the process. It is Connie's desire to create forms with rich surfaces. is interested in how her work can be used every day to bring art into our lives, enhancing our experience with food, adorning our homes, and providing a necessary ritual to nourish our soul and mind as well as our bodies. Connie is trying to make pottery that is successful in several ways: comfortable to use, enjoyable to look at, and interesting to think about.

Patty Bilbro is a displaced southerner with a craft degree in clay and a BA in Psychology. She has been a resident artist at Odyssey Ceramic Arts and Baltimore Clayworks. Currently, Patty lives in Wilmington, DE and works out of her windowless leaky basement. She loves to teach.

A lifelong native of the Philadelphia area, Theo Uliano completed his MFA in Ceramics at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia in 2011, after earning his BFA in Ceramics at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2007. Theo is currently Adjunct Professor in Ceramics at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and at Middlesex College in New Jersey. Recently Theo completed an artist residency at AIR Vallauris in the South of France and was also selected as an Emerging Artist 2015 by the publication Ceramics Monthly.

Adam Field is fascinated with antique artifacts, the way they can speak of mastery of lost peoples, places, and cultures. This inspires Adam to create works that both radiate history and capture his own place and time. Adam's works toward a clean aesthetic that celebrates the masterful simplicity of antique Far Eastern pottery, while retaining the modest utility of colonial American wares. The surface of Adam's pottery is meticulously carved with intricate designs that borrow from nature and incorporate the human touch. Much of the carving on Adam's work is informed by the pattern languages found in indigenous fiber art, such as Hawaiian tapa, Incan cordage and Zulu basketry.

Bhairavi Naik is a biochemistry graduate turned media professional. Bhairavi worked in several advertising agencies for many years, before finally accepting that she prefers clay over client servicing. As the senior partner at Curators of Clay, Bhairavi works at the studio as a potter and curator. Bhairavi mainly creates functional ceramics that can be used everyday. Curators of Clay's vision is simple, they want their work to be loved cherished and used everyday. Curators of Clay started out as a pursuit of beauty, peace, and happiness.

Ron Geibel received his MFA from the University of Montana. Ceramics Monthly Magazine recognized Geibel as a 2015 emerging artist. Currently, Geibel is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Art at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. His work toys with the intersection of public vs. private and confronts matters concerning, sexuality, gender and identity.

Hannie was born in San Jose, Costa Rica but also spent part of her childhood in New York. She graduated with honors from the Universidad De Costa Rica with a degree in Fine Arts. Although her major was sculpture she was interested in all mediums, experimenting with ceramics, wood, metal, stone, textiles, mosaic, handmade paper just to mention a few. Hannie has participated in many collective art shows as well as being accepted into the Costa Rican National "Biennial" on numerous occasions. Together with her husband Leo Gotlibowski they created "Lugar del Espiral" to combine their talent as artists. They have worked together on many projects. They received high praise for their work for the Costa Rican Pre-Columbian Gold Museum where 8 life size human indigenous sculptures they made are on permanent display. They have recently moved with their son to Los Angeles to embark on a new life and creative career.

Gregory Miller is known for his sculptural ceramic installations. Gregory's style includes various forms and finishes to create a metaphoric microcosm of subjects. Gregory uses an array of clay bodies, from porcelain to stoneware, with each piece hand formed with textures, mixed media and glazes to create the desired effect.

Mallorie Terranova was born in Richmond, VA and raised in Huntersville, NC. After graduating high school, she moved to Wilmington, NC to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Mallorie eventually found her way into the Studio Art program, where she got her hands in clay for the first time, and fell head over heels for the ceramic craft. In December 2015 she graduated from UNC Wilmington, earning a Studio Art Degree with a concentration in Ceramics. While still in school she founded her own pottery business, Jars of Dust. She is driven by being able to create functional vessels, essentially from dust and water, that can be used every single day. Now Mallorie is living on Hatteras Island off the coast of North Carolina with her husband, PJ, and their chocolate lab, Brown Bear. Currently, she is working at a pottery studio called Kinnakeet Clay where she teaches several different classes, as well as striving to grow her own business.

Yoshi Fujii received a B.F.A from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2002 and a M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University in 2008. Yoshi was selected as a recipient of the 2008-09 Lormina Salter Fellowship from Baltimore Clayworks where he currently serves as a resident artist, instructor, and gallery manager.

Lorna Meaden grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago. She received a B.A. from Fort Lewis College in 1994, and an MFA in ceramics from Ohio University 2005. She has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, and at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado. Her work is represented my several national galleries. She has taught numerous workshops nationally and internationally, in addition to being featured as a demonstrator and lecturer at the National Council on Education in Ceramic Arts, and Utilitarian Clay V: Celebrate the Object. Lorna is currently a studio potter in Durango, CO.

John Newdigate has worked as a professional artist and ceramist since 1991, exploring the properties of many different materials, including metal, paper, fibre, plastic, paint and clay. In ceramics John has specialised in high-fired translucent carved porcelain and reduction-fired celadon glazes. John's work is mostly functional, as it enriches day-to-day life, bringing art and design, imagination and inspiration into otherwise ordinary moments. John does not believe in being different for difference´s sake; instead he has respect for tradition, without being bound to it. The most important theme in John's work, and his constant inspiration, is the ever-changing sea, which has always fascinated John - not just the creatures in it, but also the interplay of light and water. From the ordered chaos of white horses on a choppy sea to the synergy of a school of anchovies, there seems to be enough inspiration in and around the sea and its shores to last many lifetimes.

Wife and husband team, Kelly Lever and Adam Russel co-own Key West Pottery. Their studio and gallery are in the southern most city of the United States, Key West, Florida. Formally trained as painters, Kelly and Adam both take a very colorful and charismatic approach to their ceramic work, which is reflective of the tropical island they call home. Kelly and Adam are creating a modern interpretation of an ancient art form.

At the end of 2008 Sue Scobie switched from a career as an environmental scientist to working with clay full-time. Sue spent 2009 finishing a Diploma in Ceramics (by distance from Otago Polytechnic). Since then she has continued developing her simple vessel-based forms in colored clay, inspired by landscapes and the environment.