51st Annual Pottery Show &amp; Sale

Artist Statement:

"Inspired by Gestalt theory—which suggests that the mind instinctively seeks order and logic in what the eyes see—my work explores the dynamic relationship between minimalist forms and abstract surface designs."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Paul Briggs

Alfred, NY

Artist Statement:

"Nature makes no aesthetic mistakes,' is a guiding principle of my pinch-formed vessels. though it was not the initial impetus. I attend to details with nature in mind developing essential transitions in each form."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Ray Brown

Oxford, MS

Artist Statement:

"I make utilitarian pottery with the intent to provide the user with an entrance into a memorable and contemplative experience. I intend for the user to leave with a sense of thoughtfulness and curiosity."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Pattie Chalmers

Carbondale, IL

Artist Statement:

"I make pots that express the tactile quality of clay. The cups, plates and vases I create become canvases for drawings. These images are personal but are chosen for their familiar language: true loves, devoted siblings, best friends or the tenderness for pets, for example."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show.

Autumn Cipala

Thomaston, ME

Artist Statement:

"I aspire to make forms that quietly engage the viewer, inspire curiosity, and invite a sense of discovery. These are objects that ask one to slow down and to notice the subtleties of form, surface, and function.

An assuredness of form is essential to this work. Curves, volume, and proportion are balanced with restraint. I prefer complex yet clean forms that are enhanced by soft translucent glazes.

Inspiration is found in the luminosity of translucent porcelain, historical ceramics, and the beauty of my coastal surroundings."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Bruce Dehnert

Maplecrest, NY

Artist Statement:

"I am interested in making pottery for the dining table. I would like my pots to visually “explain” something(s) of the processes that they undergo. It is important that the person using my pottery be provided clues, through subtleties in surface and form, as to the nature of these processes. Water and turning wheel, fingertips and palms pushing the wet clay. Melted glass and cooling crystals, nuances of wood ash or soda that have drifted through the kiln are interesting to me. I alter my shapes so there is something different to consider at that point when a pot may inspire a dialogue. I tap into the nature of Architecture and the architecture of Nature. I appreciate that contradictory variations can be found everywhere around us."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Daniel Garver

Spruce Pine, NC

Artist Statement:

"Wood firing's vicissitudes continue their allure, and a new gas kiln enables my investigation of translucent porcelain."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Tyler Gulden

Walpole, ME

Artist Statement:

"My work follows the tradition of salt firing, in combination with the contemporary process of soda firing, capitalizing on the unique color and surface variations that are a natural product of the process."

Shikha Joshi

Round Rock, TX

Artist Statement:

"Nature informs my work. Colors and textures of rocks, tree bark, water bodies and algae are some of the things that inspire me and I strive to emulate those surfaces on my pots within the constraints of an electric kiln."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Yeonsoo Kim

Exeter, NH

Artist Statement:

My work embodies consistency, precision, and meticulous craftsmanship, emphasizing the interplay between intentionality and spontaneity. Delving into the dialogue between tradition and contemporary art, I am driven by a relentless pursuit to expand the boundaries of ceramics as a medium of expression. Each piece I create serves as a canvas for a diverse cast of characters, engaging in silent conversations that speak volumes through their nuanced expressions. These characters, often bearing semblances to self-portraits, invite viewers into a world where implied images and narratives converge. Exploring the intricacies of daily existence, my work serves as a reflection of my ongoing quest for artistic identity. Through the recurring motif of 'Listening,' I delve into the depths of human emotion, transforming abstract inner experiences into tangible visual realities.

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show.

David MacDonald

Syracuse, NY

Artist Statement:

The vessel is an important human artifact that transcends generations and cultures. I have chosen the vessel as my primary vehicle of expression because of its universality. The inspiration for my work is the celebration of my combined Western and African heritages.

Matthew Metz

Alfred Station, NY

Artist Statement:

I believe unapologetically in craft and skill. Through work and time, with attention, your own personal voice can emerge.

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show.

Ernest Miller

Minneapolis, MN

Artist Statement:

"My work is a partnership between achieving utilitarian ideals and aesthetic intentions. Concepts for my work are translations of visual elements from personal interests. I’m drawn to the interaction of the built environment, subdued by the natural world, for example, weathered paint, an aging barn, or a well-used farm implement. Using slips and glazes, I build depth, highlight edges, and create patterns, allowing for perceptions of depth, foreground, and background."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Sang Joon Park

Highland Mills, NY

Artist Statement:

"My intent is to express my thoughts through my vessels, which are mostly thrown on the potter’s wheel. For some of my pieces, I use traditional Korean techniques — inhwamun stamping/inlay technique to create floral patterns, and gwiyal slip technique to apply expressive color slips. I believe that the combination of these time-tested techniques and my modern forms create unique, artful pieces that are beautiful yet practical."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Aysha Peltz

Whitingham, VT

Artist Statement:

"I use wheel thrown porcelain that has been folded, pushed, pressed, and ripped to make my forms. They are fired to cone 10 using fluid, translucent glazes, which preserves those actions in the fired clay."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Kari Radasch

Portland, ME

Artist Statement:

Kari aims to make celebratory pottery using earthenware clay and color as a metaphor for joy. She plucks nostalgic observations from her life and reassembles and reimagines these investigations onto functional dishes-- a format that has the unique ability to hold a warm, sentimental place in our lives.

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show.

Ellen Shankin

Floyd, VA

Artist Statement:

"My pots reflect the curiosity I feel about form and line. They make visible the evolving answers to my inquiries into the nature of energetic expression, vitality, and structured volume."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Mark Shapiro

Worthington, MA

Artist Statement:

"Endeavoring to make something useful and even beautiful seems a worthwhile project, honoring our shared humanity and meaningful labor."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Malcolm Mobutu Smith

Bloomington, IN

Artist Statement:

"Fueled by a passion for Hip Hop and Jazz, Smith’s ceramics forms rely on wheel-thrown and hand-built elements, most commonly presented as abstractions of cups, bottles, and vases."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Kevin Snipes

Artist Statement:

Every piece I make carries a story, turning ceramics into conversation starters that celebrate art, craft, imagination and human connection.

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show.

David Swenson

Clearwater, MN

Artist Statement:

"I am a student of history. Folk art, traditional flower painting, medieval marginalia and work from antiquity have me captivated. My work channels that nostalgia and play, while offering a contemporary perspective. The gesture and line of my pots breathes and tells the story of the process."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Megan Thomas

Oviedo, FL

Artist Statement:

"Bird pots make me happy. I think the experience of seeing a bird, feeling joy, and being inspired to make a bird is one shared across cultures and across time."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Sue Tirrell

Paradise Valley, MT

Artist Statement:

My pots employ mythic animal imagery, crisp design and riotous color to bring playfulness and storytelling to daily kitchen rituals.

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show.

Jack Troy

Huntingdon, PA

Artist Statement:

"Wood firing's vicissitudes continue their allure, and a new gas kiln enables my investigation of translucent porcelain."

*Works pictured do not necessarily reflect what will be available for purchase during the show

Catherine White

Warrenton, VA