The Potters Cast

Herrick Smith is a current MFA candidate at Fort Hays State University. Smith enjoys wood and soda firing as well as casting various metals. His ceramic work focuses on vessels while the cast work is abstracted and organic. After graduation Smith hopes to teach college ceramics and/or sculpture.

Nikki Mizak is a potter in North Carolina who makes functional pottery featuring hand painted animals and slip trailed texture. Nikki finds inspiration in nature so Nikki features chicken in much of her work. She has a real talent at capturing the individual chicken's personalities on her pots.

Emily Free Wilson is a ceramic artist and entrepreneur in Helena, Montana. She runs her pottery business Free Ceramics and the Studio Art Center, with her husband Matt Wilson. In 2014, Emily and Matt purchased an old funeral home and have converted into an art center. Emily recently retired from 10 years as the gallery director at the Archie Bray Foundation.

Rachel Donner is a full time potter living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She grew surrounded by art and history in the small town of Taos, NM. Rachel studied ceramics at the University of Northern Colorado and went on to do a few residencies and assistantships before settling back in New Mexico, for the time being.

Neil Celani makes functional pottery and does most of his firing in a soda kiln that Neil built. Neil is influenced by the psychedelia found in nature. He loves music and dancing and doesn't let algorithms choose what he listens to. Oh, and fire rules.

Jessica Putnam-Phillips is a ceramic artist, USAF Veteran, illustrator and activist. She received her MFA from the Art Institute of Boston and her BA from UNC-Wilmington. She was a resident artist at SCAC and recently attended residencies at Haystack and AIR Vallauris. She currently teaches ceramics at CCV and VAE.

Clary Illian is a true treasure for the clay community around the world. Her book, A Potter's Workbook, has been played an important role in the development of potters' skill and understanding of clay and making. An award winning documentay, A Year in the Life, focused on her work and principles. PBS also featured her work in Craft in America. Having studied as an apprentice in Bernard Leach's St. Ives Studio, Clary eventually made her way back to the United States and set up a studio in Ely, Iowa. For over half a century Clay has worked in earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain with the idea of making pottery for ordinary people at affordable prices.

Anna Mulders studied and worked in science while taking evening classes in art, including over ten years of sculpture and five years of ceramic courses. Since the end of 2013 Anna's focus has moved from science to art. One of Anna's favorites are coffee cups with rich colors and random effect due to glaze dripping or irregular firing.

Sheldon Ceramics is located in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. Sheldon Ceramics is owned and operated by ceramic artist, Peter Sheldon, and all around awesome fiancé and business partner, Ellen Woglom. Together, Peter and Ellen create beautiful, one-of-a-kind, functional wares and accents for the home. Each piece is crafted by Peter to embrace the unique variations and personality of the materials. Peter and Ellen hope to provide something that will be used and enjoyed for years to come. Whether shared around a dinner table with friends and family, or displaying fresh-cut flowers, their pieces are designed to enhance the home.

Tom Kemp is relatively new to pottery. Tom has spent the past four years as a part-time self-learning with a few courses thrown in. For many years Tom studied lettering and formal writing which translated into an abstract painting technique which Tom now applies to his pots. Tom also trained as a computer scientist.

Ben Carter returns for a third appearance on The Potters Cast. This time he talks about his new book, Mastering The Potter's Wheel. That isn't all that we talk about, but it is a big piece of the action. So Enjoy today's episode with Ben Carter.

Patrick Gibson focus is on creating ceramics to enhance people's everyday rituals. Eating meals together, drinking a cup of tea, or even grabbing that morning cup of coffee, can be transformed from something ordinary into a meaningful experience through the use of beautiful and thoughtfully designed vessels. Patrick enjoys clean lines and utilizes surface design that favors spontaneity over more laborious techniques. Patrick glazes impart an ethereal buoyancy and calming serenity to the pots.

Jordan Jones is a potter living in Freeland, WA who recently completed a 3-year apprenticeship with Robbie Lobell. She creates functional pottery in a home studio that she shares with her housemate Clovy Tsuchiya. Part-time, she glazes & fires kilns for Cook on Clay. Aside from clay, she enjoys animals and plants.

After graduating from St John University in 2001 with a major in art, Nick DeVries has worked as a production potter, taught classes at local art centers, and since 2011 he has pursued his studio work full time. Nick has exhibited his work nationally and maintains a studio in Minneapolis MN.

Jenn Gauer and Meghan Radick make pottery that is functional and lovely. Jenn uses a fine porcelain and throws the pieces on a potter's wheel, and Meghan decorates them using cake decorating techniques. Each bowl, cup or vase feels great and looks elegant—this is art that you are meant to use and enjoy!

Joseph Travis is a maker of functional ceramic objects, which are either filmed or live streamed straight from the Red Fox Pottery Studio. Currently Joseph is updating his pottery portfolio and placing the rest into an archive. Digital Ceramics Researcher: Joseph is currently a research student within MIRIAD at Manchester Metropolitan University, researching how we can use e-learning to help teach traditional skills like ceramics.

Kim Press likes to think of her work as her story. Each piece of art that Kim makes is a feeling, a thought, or a small moment in her life that is screaming to get out. Kim loves that she can make things that are uniquely her own. In a time where you can have anything you desire delivered to your doorstep with the click of a button, Kim loves that she is able to create things that require time to make. For Kim, being a maker in a world run by machines is incredibly gratifying. Kim's work is Kim's story. Kim's work is Kim.

Annie Chrietzberg took her first ceramics class in 1991, and then went on to acquire both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Ceramics. In addition to making and selling work, she has written more than twenty articles for Pottery Making Illustrated, taught at the college level, and has given workshops around the country and in Canada.

Branan Mercer graduated with a BFA in Ceramics from Auburn University in 2008. After graduation, he spent two years in St. Petersburg Florida as a resident artist at the Craftsman House Gallery and four years in Fairhope Alabama as Studio Manager and Instructor at The Kiln Studio and Gallery. Currently he resides in Birmingham Alabama where he is setting up a private studio.

The Ceramic Showcase in Portland Oregon in the largest ceramic showcase and sale in the United States. I am fortunate enough to live within a few minutes of the event. So I grabbed my recording equipment and headed down to the event. The work was amazing and the people are even better. Here are just a few examples of the great people and work that was found in the halls of the event.

Sikiu Perez was born in Venezuela. At early age, Sikiu started art school, where her father worked teaching ceramics. While in Venezuela, Sikiu acquired an Advertising and Marketing degree. In 2001 Sikiu moved to The United States, where she now lives with her husband who built her studio on the shore of a beautiful lake.

Brandon Schwartz is a full time Title 1 teacher, husband and father. He is also a part time potter, photographer, and designer. He grew up in Brooklyn, MI, earned an Art Ed degree at Huntington University and currently lives and works near Goshen, IN. He is currently focused on wheel thrown, functional pottery fired to cone 6 in oxidation.

Will McCanless is a second generation potter from Seagrove, NC. Will has been very fortunate to have been exposed from an early age to some of the best potters in the country while living and training in Seagrove, NC. Will's training has primarily been on an apprenticeship basis early in life with his parents, which was then followed by lots of informal travel and exposure related to all things clay. Will does a variety of styles and he is striving always to evolve.

Marianne Tolosa is a ceramic Artist living and working in Northern Virginia. Marianne makes functional, whimsical, wheel-thrown, and hand-built pottery! Marianne's background is in oil painting -> teaching english overseas -> interior design -> coffee -> graphic design -> pottery. A very round about creative route!

Didem Mert was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH. She was featured on the cover of Pottery Making Illustrated’s January/Febuary 2016 issue. Mert was included on C File’s list of 15 Potters to Watch in 2016. Didem is currently attending Edinboro University’s MFA (ceramics) program and is expected to graduate in 2017.

William Baker is a full time studio potter living in the mountains of western North Carolina. His work begins on the wheel, and is focused on refined forms subjected to the intense atmosphere of a wood fired kiln. When not in the studio, he is often found building kilns for other clay folk.

Hedy Yang is a sophomore at the University of Michigan. Her interest in ceramics began in her senior year of high school where she was afforded an amazing space to work in and a creative teacher to provide inspiration. When she’s not in class, she spends her days in the studio trying new techniques and styles of work.

While most of Brooke Millecchia's work begins on the wheel, the majority of her time is spent altering the form and manipulating the surface with texture. She further works the surfaces by applying a bold, but warm color palate. Brooke allows her work to evolve while working in the studio. She has never kept a sketchbook.

The SkandiHus brand is inspired by a love for Scandinavian design in which beauty is radiated through light colours, the ample use of natural materials, minimalism and functionality. Like many Scandinavian designers before her, Stine believes that quality design should be affordable, stylish and relevant to the modern human being by providing minimal distraction and maximum functionality and beauty. Stine both throws and hand-builds her pieces. It is very important to her to minimise her impact on the world in which she lives, so she reuses materials whenever possible and many of her pieces are made from reclaimed waste clay from her students and fellow studio members. Before becoming a full time ceramic artist, Stine worked in London, England as a lawyer, never quite feeling fulfilled or happy. She says that quitting her job to follow her dreams was the best decision that she ever made.

NCECA 2016, 50th ANNUAL CONFERENCE This is a recap of my visit to NCECA. I brought my mic along with me and did the man-on-the-street style of meeting the people of NCECA. In this second installment I talked with: Troy BungartNikki JohnsonKwok Pong "Bobby" TsoIan ThomasJonah AmadeusJoel CherricoJess & Jamie WadeShannon Garson

Osa Atoe started taking community pottery classes in New Orleans in the fall of 2012. Osa quickly became obsessed with the medium so she made a small in-home studio for herself in the spring of 2015 and Pottery by Osa was born! Osa makes handmade terracotta pottery inspired by her love of simplicity and geometric patterns. Osa is influenced by African and Native American ceramic traditions, folk art of all mediums, and the work of other contemporary artists and craft people. Osa makes functional ware for everyday use, including drinkware, dishware and household items such as planters and vases. Osa's goal is to bring the creativity and intentionality of handmade crafts to everyday rituals. She loves expressing herself creatively through practical, functional forms. Osa also makes all of her glazes.

This is a recap of my visit to NCECA. I brought my mic along with me and did the man-on-the-street style of meeting the people of NCECA. In this first installment I talked with: Mark ShiperoHayne BaylessHannah NiswongerMike CarlsonDenise JoyalNicholas MeyerPreston TalbertJohn CummingsRay BrownHerrick Smith

Daniel Johnston digs most of the materials he use to make and glaze his pots. Daniel's pots are fired in a large 850 cubic ft wood kiln. Daniel enjoys the hard work and it leaves no part of the process separated from him. He does not try to control his materials, rather Daniel tries to understand them. From digging the clay to firing the kiln, Daniel puts all his efforts into creating pots that have a powerful presence. It is important to Daniel to create pots that are timeless, but reflect the culture and times in which he lives.

Kate Johnston opened her pottery studio in Seagrove, North Carolina in 2010. Kate’s pots are made with local materials, boldly carved with organic patterns inspired by Art Deco design, and fired in a large wood-burning kiln. Kate shows her pots throughout North Carolina and has lectured and taught in North Carolina, Tennessee, and New Jersey.

Robin Hopper | Episode 195 Robin Hopper is an internationally known potter, teacher, author, garden designer and arts activist. He has taught throughout Canada, and in England, U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and Israel. His ceramic work is in public, corporate and private collections throughout the world.

Originally from Illinois, Debra Oliva earned a BFA from Northern Illinois University. After a decade working in the printing industry Debra began exploring ceramics. She has worked as a full time artist for 24 years. She creates utilitarian ware and vessel forms from unglazed colored clays, celebrating form and surface through the use of color, texture and pattern.

Forrest Lesch Middelton works in Petaluma, CA. Forrest’s extensive background as an arts educator, administrator, and studio potter has recently gained him recognition as a diverse and inspirational member of the ceramic arts community. Forrest is the Former Ceramics Program Director of Sonoma Community Center, and is currently the President of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of CA. In 2013 Forrest was named the Ceramic Artist of the year by Ceramics Monthly, and this year is the recipient of a Creative Work Fund grant for his work with the Islamic Cultural Center of Oakland. Forrest’s pots have been featured on the on the cover of Ceramics Monthly magazine, and recently his architectural tile has won great acclaim, having been featured in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Luxe, and Sunset Magazine. Forrest has been an Artist in Residence at Project Art in Massachusetts, the Mendocino Arts Center, and the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, in Maine.

Paul Schneider lives in Dallas, Texas and is 31 years old. First exposed to ceramics in high school (St. Mark's), attended Rhodes College - played baseball, majored in International Studies. No ceramics program at Rhodes, tried unsuccessfully to start one. One semester I got access to nearby Memphis College of Art to continue throwing. Spent a semester in Madrid - took a ceramics class there - that would be considered my only 'formal' education in ceramics. I've been working full-time on ceramics (my business) for the past six years. It's been a roller coaster. Went to a trade show in NYC -March 2014 - Architectural Digest Home Design Show - got a lot of great press there - AD wrote a profile piece on my work. Currently focus is on table lamps.

Based out of his studio in northwest Montana, Tim Carlburg specializes in making Handmade Growlers for Handmade Beer! Tim also works with multiple distilleries to create simple, meticulously hand-made functional ceramics for the discriminating microbrew and distillery aficionados. Tim is also the inventor of the SwitchLift. SwitchLift is a revolutionary way of using the potters wheel by making the wheel's height adjustable. The SwitchLift is helping to bring relief to the problem of back pain that is so common in potters.

Melina LaVecchia Daniels specializes in creating tableware that is not only functional but relates to food and the user in an aesthetically-minded way. Each piece is made to inspire you to linger around the table just a little bit longer and to enjoy the luxury of gathering around food together.

Jeremy Ayers' recent pottery is about elemental relationships between form and surface. Jeremy has simplified his color scheme and is rejecting a colorful glaze palate. This allows textural and visual contrasts between the glaze, raw clay and form to be highlighted. Contrasts between sharp lines of glaze and the repetitive forms puts a sharp focus on both elements. The exposed clay is presented on equal footing with the glazed surface. The white glaze flashes the exposed clay body, warming the raw clay surface. Jeremy's focus with this recent work is to make pottery that is about pottery. He loves the raw clay of an atmospheric firing, but his work is fired in oxidation.

Eric Knoche touched clay for the first time 15 years ago and has had dirty hands ever since. Eric lives and works in Western North Carolina where he is currently building a new wood kiln and studio. Besides clay, Eric's other great passion in life is dancing the Argentine Tango.

S. C. Rolf lives and works as a studio potter in River Falls, WI, creating one-of-a-kind functional pots. His work reflects an ongoing search to unite his ideas with the generosity and the intimacy that the functional pot offers.S. C. Rolf holds multiple degrees in Art and exhibits his work nationally and internationally. Rolf has received a number of national and international awards. He lectures and teaches workshops throughout the country. His work has been included in numerous publications, Museum collections, and Kitchens cupboards.

The Claw and The Sea is the brainchild of two lovers, Ronald Shaw and Jeni Licata. Together, Ron and Jeni create an array of functional and sculptural ceramics inspired by botany, mycology, marine biology, and astronomy. These pieces range from handmade, soda-fired tableware sets like plates, cups, bowls, and serving pieces, to their sea-urchin-themed salt and pepper shakers, starfish Christmas ornaments, or salvaged pallet wood urchin towel racks. Jeni and Ron also have intricately-carved sporenet terrariums with homegrown and propagated succulent plants.

Gerard Ferrari, 2011 McKnight Artist Fellow for Ceramic Artists, holds an MFA(VCU) and a BA(Berea). His artistic career began in 1989 and his Professorial career in 1999. In 2009 he left academia to become a stay-at-home parent, artist, and micro-homesteader. Above all, he has an active imagination and creative spirit.

As part of her undergraduate studies at the National Art School, Sydney, O’Sullivan spent a semester on exchange at the Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, where she learnt and refined a number of industrial ceramic processes such as designing and printing decals, plaster model/mould making and slip casting. These skills have stayed with her and form the foundations of her current art practice. O’Sullivan focused her 2012 Masters of Fine Art research project on Australian imagery on porcelain. During this study she undertook a three-month internship at a remote Indigenous Art Centre in Ikuntji, NT. Since completing her MFA O’Sullivan has exhibited at the 4th ASNA clay triennial in Pakistan, had her work toured through the Emporio Armani stores in Australia, selected as a finalist for Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards and held a solo exhibition at Sabbia Gallery, Sydney and Craft Gallery, Melbourne. O’Sullivan has just returned from a mentorship with Sung Jae Choi in Gimhae, South Korea.

Melissa Weiss is a self-taught studio potter in Asheville, NC. All the pots Melissa makes are made from the clay she digs from her land in Arkansas and is minimally processed. Melissa makes functional pottery and fires it in a gas reduction kiln with reduction cooling. Melissa also runs an 8000 sq ft warehouse which houses over 20 artists.

Adriana Christianson is a studio potter based in Croydon , an outer eastern suburb near Mt. Dandenong in Melbourne , Australia. All of Adriana's work is made and fired in her tiny garden studio that is surrounded by a rambling garden behind her 1920's original farmhouse. Adriana began potting in High School and continued at Prahran College of Advanced Education, graduating with a Diploma of Art & Design majoring in Ceramics. After graduation Adriana started working in the production pottery of Jan Lewis and Tabletop Ceramics as a Studio Assistant and decorator . Her 30 year journey with clay has always run paralell with 'growing' her family and teaching adults and children pottery in community settings . The inspiration for Adriana's work comes from the beauty and intricacies of floral wallpapers and fabrics of the 1800's, (especially William Morris and Liberty) also the blue and white Willow pattern dinnerware, which she constantly collects.

David Voorhees is a western North Carolina potter. David has spent 40 years working in wood-fired porcelain and stoneware, oxidation porcelain, and a bit of raku. David is relatively new to wood-firing with his own wood kiln since 2009. He is passionate about this process, the community it requires, and the rebirth it has caused in his artist journey.

Anna Eaves is the owner, designer, and ceramic artist behind Arrow + Sage, her brand and studio based in Raleigh, NC. Anna is a native North Carolinian and self taught potter with early instruction coming from her mother, also a potter. Ceramics from Arrow + Sage are handbuilt utilizing high quality clays and glazes. She retails her work online and around the globe in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and has recently received recognition from Elle Decoration and Vogue UK.