Dawn Klinger is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts focused on Ceramic Sculpture. Dawn has been working with clay for 30+ years, beginning in her freshman year of high school, where she fell in love with the medium. Pursuing  art was not her original goal but as she began taking classes in college the positive feedback and support from her professors led her to realize, this was where she felt most at home.  Dawn began her career in the early nineties teaching art and participating in art festivals in southern Florida, finding success in her ceramic sculpture and fulfillment teaching ceramics to a variety of populations.  Dawn took a break from pursuing this path in 2003 to raise her children but always kept her hand  in the medium.  In 2015, after a move to southern Oregon, she decided to take her sculptural background in handbuilding and apply it to functional ceramics.  From there, Tagliaferro Ceramics was born. Working out designs in her garage, over the course of a year Dawn created the initial pieces that would form the base of her dinner and serving ware collections.  In 2016, Dawn partnered with a local woodworking company to open a boutique in Ashland, Oregon featuring her ceramics and his northwest hardwood cutting and serving boards.  The pair were naturally aligned with simple, organic style focused on letting the material speak and minimizing embellishment.  Tagliaferro is named after Dawn's maternal grandfather.  Most of Dawn's childhood was spent in the care of her grandparents and it was by her grandfathers side, at his basement workbench, that she learned to create with he materials around her.  The concept of family and sharing food together is at the core of Tagliaferro Ceramics and she choose the name to honor hers.  Dawn continues to evolve the business, creating a website in Feb. 2019, running the Ashland boutique and most all, refining and creating new designs in her creekside studio.

Abby is a production potter specializing in wheel-thrown homewares. "From my heart to your home".  After a long career as a professional photographer, Abby began pottery 2 1/2 years ago and found peace and healing in the quiet solitude of working with her hands. Abby began her career in Salem, MA and is (at the time of this publication) is in the process of relocating to Duluth, MN where she is moving into her first dedicated workshop and studio space.

For years Annelies Callewier has invested in the small family in knowledge, experience, workshop and equipment. From Annelies' perspective, life is too short to master the whole trade. Each potter learns all the necessary things of the trade to be able to earn his or her bread and specializes in a specific work. Annelies' passion in recent years is the serial production of utility pottery.

Ryan Durbin and Becca Otis host a podcast called Wheel Talk. With 20 years of experience together and 5 years of friendship under their belts, they have candid, real and honest conversations about what it's actually is like to running a small business, whether it be a full time gig (Becca) or a sweet side hustle (Ryan).

Sara Ballek is a ceramic artist living in Asheville, North Carolina. Sara is currently a Resident Artist and instructor at Odyssey ClayWorks in Asheville. Sara works with a number of methods and processes to create functional pottery with a focus on color, pattern, and texture.

I see my artwork as a journey in which the process - the very visceral act of creating is as significant as the final outcome. It is labyrinthine in its development and I am often surprised by the intuitive level of its revelation. I am entranced by the visual traces of this journey and the slow development of a patina of color and texture, the subtle variation of simple forms, and the impact of timing, and of time. To me, these layering’s are reminiscent of geological formation and similarly offer insight to the factors of influence, as well as to the many possibilities of interpretation.

In this episode I gave you, the listeners an opportunity to grab  the mic and share your mind. This is in celebration of reaching 600 episodes! I can't believe that we have hit such a crazy number. I owe all the thanks to you and to our amazing guests that we have had over the years. So from the bottom of my heart I want to say, Thank you. 

Jessica’s early years were spent in Upstate New York. The daughter of an engineer and a photographer, Jessica grew up in her father’s workshop and her mother’s darkroom. Jessica earned a BA in Studio Art at UT Austin and has worked in graphic design and ceramics for over 20 years.