The Potters Cast

"Hello Strong Human", is the message from Danielle Williams. Danielle is the face, hands, and heart behind Strong Roots Pottery. Graphic Designer by day and potter by night, Danielle resides in Dallas, TX, where she makes small batch ceramics as strong as Danielle's roots. http://ThePottersCast.com/853

Zuza Ferenczová is a part-time potter and part-time scriptwriter from Slovakia, Europe. Zuza has a small garden studio where she makes small batches of hand-built pottery. Recently Zuza has founded a nonprofit organization called Ruky v hline, dedicated to organize educational activities for kids and adults in the field of pottery. Zuz has just been accepted for a PhD program in Film and Television studies as well.

Evelyn Ward makes functional earthenware pots, with monoprinted slip transfers in her studio at Cedar Creek Gallery in Creedmoor, NC. Evelyn's aim is to make well-made pots that are a pleasure to use and look at and have around. She really enjoys making pots and hopes that they bring a little joy to people's lives. http://ThePottersCast.com/851

Alan Potter lives in Southeast Arizona where he works in his home studio creating raku-fired sculptural animals. Alan received a BA from Trinity College of Vermont in 1999. Alan's work is represented by galleries, nationally.

Mike Cerv is a ceramic artist from Kansas who loves exploring processes and glaze chemistry. Mike received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and his MFA from Louisiana State University. Currently Mike is back in Kansas as a teaching resident at The University of Kansas. http://ThePottersCast.com/849

Asahi So is a Sydney-based ceramic artist specializing in sculptural pieces that combine wire with ceramic components, and in wheel-thrown functional ware. Having initially trained and worked as a florist, Asahi love of flowers has been carried over into his current work, with a focus often placed on creating vessels for flowers and foliage. http://ThePottersCast.com/848

Darren Jackson got a random postcard at his day job (K-6 general music) to attend Arrowmont. When Darren's first choice was full, he ended up in hand building. After getting a wheel that fall, Darren hasn't looked back! When Darren is not in mud, he's on his front porch, picking his banjo! http://ThePottersCast.com/847

Nicholas Lees has a string of degrees from University of Kent (BA), University of the West of England (BA), University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (MA), and the Royal College of Art (MPhil). Nicholas has work exhibited in the UK and overseas and in public collections, including York City Art Gallery, Westerwald Keramikmuseum in Germany, and Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Italy. His awards include the Cersaie Prize, Faenza and Nicholas was a Senior Lecturer at Bath Spa University between 2000 and 2010 and is now a Visiting Lecturer at RCA and UCA Farnham. http://ThePottersCast.com/846

Jordyn Brummett is a wife, mom, and ceramic artist living in Huntsville, Alabama. Jordyn has a BFA in Art Education with an emphasis in ceramics. She creates out of the overflow of the healing and rest Jordyn receives from her art practice which has led her to open The Vessel - a community ceramics studio. http://ThePottersCast.com/845

Deana Coveney is the artist at Vuvu Ceramics. Dena lives and works in Encinitas, California, a small beach town north of San Diego. Deana's work captures the wonder we felt the first time we pressed a leaf into clay and combines it with the wonder we felt the first time we held a ladybug. Deana's pieces are celebrations of the everyday garden, created in stoneware clay fired to cone 5/6. http://ThePottersCast.com/844

Tyler Quintin is a Korean American ceramic sculptor and vessel maker using clay to explore themes centered around identity. Tyler is currently wrapping up his residency at the Morean Center for Clay and will be beginning his next residency at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in June. 2022. http://ThePottersCast.com/843

Annemarie Vogel used to work as a medical doctor in Zimbabwe. When Annemarie lost her vision, she returned to the Netherlands and changed her focus to the visual arts. Luckily she is not afraid of a challenge. Annemarie's work illustrates that sight is more than vision.

Diego Valles was born in the border town of Palomas Chihuahua in July 1982.Diego has been expanding the limits not only of Mata Ortiz Ceramics, but also of traditional Mexican Ceramics. In 2010 he was awarded The National Youth Award for Arts, which is Mexico's highest honor to a young living artist, "for the combination of Science, Art and Excellence in the creation of his ceramics..." http://ThePottersCast.com/841

An orchestra conductor turned potter, Lucia Matos is originally from Brazil and lives now in the Chicago area. After having to cut short her conducting career due to hearing problems, Lucia discovered clay, and with that, she overcame grief and regained her creative voice and life purpose. http://ThePottersCast.com/840

Andy Williams is 43 years old and from the SF Bay Area. Andy has been a teacher of visual arts for 16 years and full time ceramics the last two years. Andy had not worked with clay in high school, but now it's all he thinks about. Andy is now working towards the point where he feels comfortable selling.

Kaveri Bharath is a potter in Chennai, in South India. Kaveri now has a rooftop studio with a small gas kiln that she built. The bulk of Kaveri's ceramic education and exposure came from Ray and Debby of GBP, Pondicherry. Kaveri builds kilns, teaches, and also makes and sells pottery. http://ThePottersCast.com/838

Harry Levenstein is a potter currently working in the southern Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Harry is the ceramics lab tech at the Bard College at Simon's Rock where he also teaches and maintains his own studio practice.

Gaspar Gorodisch is an Argentinian potter, Born in 1996 in the city of Buenos Aires. Through his young adult life Gaspar hopped between careers and jobs, having started as a cook at 18, managing bands and studying music full time at 20, and due to a bizarre accident, falling in love with pottery. http://ThePottersCast.com/836

Em Piscopo stumbled into ceramics nearly 2.5 years ago in an attempt to discover my creative side after letting my analytical side take the reigns for too long. The connection was instantaneous, and Em fell in love hard and fast with the medium of clay. Em could never in her wildest dreams have anticipated making pieces that would someday be passed from her hands to those of family and friends, old and new, all over the map. The heart of Nightshade is, and in some ways has always been, finding the intersections between art and science, style and function, and to bring a bit of magic into everyday life.

Mandy Henebry has been working with clay for almost 3 decades. Mandy's work is a reflection of her love for home décor, and entertaining with food. Soft colors and tactile patterns grace the surfaces of her pottery. Mandy currently lives in Boise, Idaho working as a full-time studio potter. http://ThePottersCast.com/834

I began working with clay in 2011 when I asked a cashier to teach me pottery. Since then, I have worked in and built multiple studios nationally and internationally. I make functional pieces born from an inner stillness and I strive to help my students find their own stillness through my teaching. http://ThePottersCast.com/833

If Amanda had known she would one day be a professional potter, she would have taken more than Introduction to Pottery in college! Amanda was re-introduced to ceramics while stationed in Germany (2008) on a US military instillation that had several recreational centers, one of which had pottery wheels and a kiln. Since then Amanda has primarily been self taught through through research, asking a lot of questions, and trial and error. Amanda's work is 100% designed and handcrafted by herself. Her bubble designs are relatively new. Amanda uses a combination of underglazes, overglazes, and decals.

Chris received his BFA from the University of Tennessee and his MFA from the University of Florida. Chris served as a long term Resident Fellow at the Archie Bray Foundation from 2012 to 2014. Chris currently resides in Pocatello, Idaho, and serves as an Assistant Professor at Idaho State University.

Raina Lee is an artist based in Los Angeles and works in clay and experimental glazes. Raina's practice draws from ceramics history, archeology, and burial objects, and objects from her family's past. Raina began in clay making functional works and has recently started making sculptural pieces.

Kylie Osmond is a mostly self taught potter and the owner of Smiley Seahorse Ceramics, a business that she runs full-time with help from her husband, Tim, in New Brunswick, Canada. Kylie and Tim make colorful ocean inspired pottery that they sell online and out of their mobile boutique - a 6x10 cargo trailer converted into a tiny nautical store. http://ThePottersCast.com/829

Mara & KC are a couple of graphic designers who live in the Phoenix metro area. KC was a hand builder in college and Mara became obsessed with wheel throwing just a few years ago. They started to look for a studio space outside of their laundry room and when they couldn't find one, they decided to create one. Like all little ideas, it snowballed, and before they knew it, they were opening a full-blown public ceramics studio and coffee shop/wine bar. Tom started working with clay in middle school and has continued to work in the medium ever since for 25 plus years. He is based out of Tempe, AZ who creates functional and sculptural objects. All dots are individually applied one by one and all work is food, microwave and dishwasher safe. Tom earned his BFA from Arizona State University and his MFA from New Mexico State University both with an emphasis in ceramics. He is currently an adjunct professor at South Mountain Community College and instructor at PIP Coffee and Clay. http://ThePottersCast.com/828

Jacob Vinson originates from high desert plains of Wyoming, although he now calls Michigan home. Jacob has been working as a ceramic artist for over fifteen years and his fascination with the medium only continues to grow. In 2009 Jacob received his BFA from Utah State University, and in 2021 he received his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Jacob's studio practice primarily revolves around but is not limited to utilitarian craft and the material science that is clay.

Cameron Williams works to Order specializing in large wheel formed planter commissions for Shopping centres, office blocks and homes. Cameron's journey began 40 years ago at East Sydney Techical College, where students learned all aspects of the craft. Cameron did an apprenticeship followed with Errol Barnes followed by his first big commission which was Australia's New Parliament House. http://ThePottersCast.com/826

Rebecca May Verrill is a Maine native and has regularly been working with clay since the late 90s. Rebecca received her MFA in Ceramics from SUNY New Paltz in 2013 and has taught in a variety of settings including K12 schools, community college, as well as workshops in studios and craft centers across the country. Rebecca exhibits her work regionally and nationally through shows, galleries and through her website. She maintains her studio practice in Portland, Maine

Here in the Pacific Northwest we had a rare snow day in April... It hasn't snowed here in April in the last 80 years! So I decided to a random invitation through my Instagram Stories to my followers to see who would like to jump on Zoom for a short conversation. I picked the first responses. You will find that these people are amazing! Kelly Beierman, Katrina Frigeria, Diego Valles, Deepika Dhoolypala, Megan Baig, and Morghan Gray all raised their hands and I am so happy they did. http://ThePottersCast.com/824

Sophia Sohyun Kim loves working with clay. The inspiration of working with clay, the texture of reliefs, and cut outs are energizing to Sophia. Throwing clay on the potter's wheel, in particular, can be addictive to Sophia as it is quiet and personal; it is like a meditation for her as she has to center herself before she can center the clay. Trees have been Sophia's obsession for a long time. Her fascination on tree barks started while taking pictures of birch, oak, and cedar trees in the Pacific Northwest. Sophia has been mesmerized that the the trees all seem to have scars on their barks and try to tell us their stories which call to us... Sophia watchfully listens to their stories to share botanic exquisiteness beyond cicatrix.

Rachel Zylka is a Psychologist who does psycho-educational assessments and provides behavioral support for families, children, and young adults. Rachel is also a self-proclaimed "accidental maker" who fell in with clay. As a micro batch maker, Rachel makes limited edition functional work.

Along with teaching and creating his own work, Jon Puzzuoli takes on a diversity of commissions. Many organizations, churches, interior designers, and fellow artists of all kinds have commissioned work from Jon. Jon is used to taking on a wide array of commission ideas that are both functional and sculptural, for indoors or out. Starting with a sketch and a description,

Krissy Ramirez is a Mexican artist that uses her border experiences in her art. From luscious cacti to abandoned plaster walls Krissy uses graffiti to express thoughts in words written in a creative illegible language. Krissy continues to make work surrounded by graffitied trains en las montañas of Missoula, Montana.

Jared Peterson, affectionately known to many as J-Dog, was raised in Morgantown, West Virginia. There, Jared attended West Virginia University for his undergraduate education and received degrees in both English and Ceramics. Jared has both exhibited nationally and internationally and is a current MFA candidate at Arizona State University.

Sunshine Cobb's new book, The Beginners Guide to Hand Building, has been a labor of love during the past year, and she can't wait to share it with you. Sunshine is back on The Potters Cast to talk about her new book, but strangely enough, we end up talking about widening our lane to make the fuller life we want to live.

Ayla Mullen has a BA in Environmental Political Theory and Ceramics from Marlboro College, and completed a 2 year apprenticeship with Ellen Shankin in Floyd, VA. Now a full time studio artist, Ayla makes wheel-thrown functional pottery with botanically inspired surface designs. She recently hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and moved her home and studio to Bellingham, WA.

Cindi Danieli a mom, she has 4 amazing kids and a sweet puppy. Cindi lived in Philadelphia until she moved to Florida 8 years ago. Cindi had always wanted to try the pottery wheel, and about 3 years ago from the time of this episodes release she decided to take a class. Cindi was hooked immediately, fell in love with everything about it. She hopes to be able to do it full time someday.

Ron Philbeck is a potter specializing in wheel thrown, sodium vapor glazed pottery. The limited production and one of a kind pots are created at Ron's studio in Shelby, N.C. Ron believes that pots should be well made, pleasant to look at, and easy to use. Ron's work can be found in collections and kitchens around the world.

Dara Hartman is a full time studio artist in Salt Lake City, UT. Dara is the Director of the Women Working With Clay Symposium at Hollins University in Roanoke, VA. Dara received a BFA from Virginia Tech and an MFA from Montana State University.

Tom Edwards has been a full time studio potter since graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Art History in 1978. Tom works out of his home in Evergreen, CO. His pottery is wheel thrown, high fire, functional porcelain mugs, plates and bowls decorated with cartoons and ceramic decals. The predominant theme in Tom's work is his sense of humor. "I love the fact that a coffee mug can be a traveling soap box or vehicle for my point of view about something that is going on in the world. My best designs are the ones that tell a weird story about our time in history." In 2018 Tom received worldwide media coverage over his copyright dispute with Elon Musk and Tesla Motors (see Potters Cast episode 459). The electric car company had placed Tom's farting unicorn cartoon in the touch screens of their cars without obtaining his permission. Upon receiving a reasonable settlement from Tesla Motors, Tom became a voice for artists who have had their artwork stolen by larger companies. On Thursday, March 17 Tom will be talking about this adventure plus "Copyright 101 for Ceramic Decal Printers" at NCECA 2022 in Sacramento, CA. Rosetta Technologies has generously agreed to give away a CerPrint Black (or Blue) ceramic decal printing system ($695 value) to one lucky attendee at Tom's lecture. Must be present to win.

Kara Leigh Ford is a potter based near Bath in the South West of England. At the time of this episode Kara has been a professional potter for 7 years and a hobbyist for 13 more. Kara studied fine art at university but didn't touch clay until she graduated. Mostly self taught, Kara now teaches others how to make pots via her online community called Pottery Club. She has just written her first book called 'Pottery for Beginners' published at the end of 2021.

Shelly is a ceramic artist living in Eugene, Oregon. Her work is a tribute to the natural world, its dynamic processes and im/possibilities. She believes an artist's work and life are not separate and she approaches the entirety with authenticity, simplicity, curiosity, and responsibility-- to the earth and her heart.

John Bauer is a South African ceramicist with work in two national museums, who shows internationally. John's an inventor and material engineer, who currently tiles buildings in kaleidoscopic matchbox tiles, each one unique. John is inept at many things, however, his catastrophes are fertile ground for artworks forging new frontiers.

Rachel Saunders is a multidisciplinary artist and designer from the West Coast of Canada currently working with clay as her primary medium. Rachel places value on simplicity, functionality, sustainability, playfulness, and connection. Rachel's work aims to highlight the inherent beauty of natural materials through self-taught technique and design.

Every location has its own history, culture and community inherently marked by human experience. Luke Fuller reflects upon a notion of place which is forged through industrialization and our dependence on raw materials. Luke's work explores the complex layers of our society and infrastructure, in order to critique and understand the context in which we live. Using clay and other materials as a vehicle, Luke expresses his perceptions of landscape and the ambiguous relationship between humans and the natural environment. Luke manifests his thoughts and concerns through processes of construction and the physicality of making. Luke graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2020 (he was awarded the Charlotte Fraser Scholarship for outstanding work). Since he completed his BA at the University of Brighton in 2018, Luke has won a number of prestigious prizes and bursaries, including New Designer of the Year at the Business Design Centre, and the Nagoya University of Art Grand Prize. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at the British Ceramics Biennial, Masterpiece London, and FOG Design+Art in San Francisco.

Ian "Ox" McColl "discovered" clay when he was 15 to 16 years old at school and was hooked after his first try at using the wheel. Ox went to university at Bendigo in Victoria, Australia. After graduating Ox went into pottery straight away as thrower. For a few years Ox worked in the pottery industry and became a teacher in high schools since 1995. In June 2021 Ox resigned and has been back running his own pottery where he is now full time potter. Recently Ox bought an old gas station and has spent 2020 renovating it where he is now running classes and has a gallery.

Forman Pottery is the accidental business of ceramicist John-Michael Forman. Since 2010 John-Michael has been crafting functional stoneware in the foothills of Southern Appalachia. John-Michael and his wife, Hannah live in Chattanooga, TN with their sons, Eli, Peter, and Abe.

David Andersen is a ceramicist who has a a preference towards hand building and even more specifically building ceramic spheres. Earth, water, fire, and air are the foundation of David's handbuilt ceramic spheres which are intricately formed, carved, and glazed.

For Stephen Procter a chance encounter with clay grew into a passion and a mid-life career change. Formerly a classical guitarist, Stephen found that making gestures through sound and time offered many analogies to making gestures in clay and space. Large scale is a hallmark of his wheel-thrown vessels, and an attribute that contributes to the quality of animate presence Stephen aspires to achieve. In his forms Stephen seeks to reconcile classical Mediterranean influences, organic shapes, and the innate tendencies and beauty of the material.