Krista Cameron has been passionate about pottery for over 16 years and has a Diploma in Ceramics from St. Lawrence College and has been participating in regional exhibits and sales since 1998. Krista's current studio is found near Charleston Lake nestled among the rocks and pine trees, a beautiful setting which she endeavors to capture in her art. Krista has been showing in Eastern Ontario since 2000. Krista sells her work at The Green Gecko and Casual Living. Krista teaches pottery at her Charleston Lake, Ontario studio and in Brockville at Hilltop Studio.

Makoto Fujimura (b. 1960, Boston) is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. Makoto is also an arts advocate, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, Fujimura served as an international advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts. Makoto  is also launching the Kintugi Academy. Makoto uses Kintsugi as an metaphor mending.

The knowledge Frank Eagar has gained through not only producing art, but teaching art, and has broadened his knowledge regarding how and why art has been produced through the centuries. As a ceramic artist all of Frank's pieces from a simple cup to a sculpture are a small representation of both himself and his experiences. Teaching art has given Frank the privilege to increase others knowledge and appreciation of art, by showing and teaching the depth of being that goes into the creation of individual pieces. As a ceramicist, Frank believes in producing both functional as well as sculptural pieces. The beauty and simplicity of functional ware is timeless, and yet still carries the fingerprint of its creator long after he is gone. Frank also enjoys making 3D ceramic sculptures. Though these are a more complex representation of Frank, he enjoys creating these pieces from birdbaths, to fountains, even to a figurative sculpture because of the versatile qualities of the clay. Frank always enjoys experimenting with shape, pattern, color, and form in my pottery. Currently, the distortion of basic shapes and play upon its actual or created lines either in a whimsical or obtuse manner are a recent creative focus of Frank.

Laurence André is a french potter living and working in Manigod, a small village located in Northern French Alps. Laurence settled her studio in the old walls of an old cheese dairy farm. Being into clay for 10 years now, working a white clay on the wheel or on plaster molds, Laurence is happy to imagine and produce small batch of tableware ceramics, slipware decorated one-of-a-kind pieces with folk patterns, flowers & animals that form merry different collections. Laurence is a self-taught, learning through experience - which she in turn is passing on during clay workshops in her studio.

Teppi is the creator of The Perfect Apron. Teppi wanted a better answer to cleaning and keeping her hands dry. Teppi's creation  is the best solution to staying clean and dry during all pottery sessions!  Teppi made sure that The Perfect Apron is eco friendly so it eliminates the need for paper towels. It can also be used for cooking, grading, and other messy tasks!

Hannah Shipway has worked as a professional potter for the past five years. Hannah has her own studios in Oxford, England, and also in Dorset on the South Coast of England. Hannah makes wheel-thrown, functional tableware in small batches, all of which are sold exclusively from the iconic Albatross Cafe in Bristol.

Brandy Green & Michelle Castro | Episode 615

Today is a special release day. Instead of releasing two episodes on Tuesday and Thursday, The Potters Cast is releasing both of this week's episode on Tuesday. As a result of NCECA 2020 conference getting canceled this year, the normal process of NCECA having a dedicated time of having the candidates for the Director at Large and the Student Director at Large share about what they would bring to the position and then to answer questions from the audience wasn't available. These two episodes are the replacement platform to allow these fine candidates to share their stories. In this second episode we are going to dedicate this to the position of Student Director at Large. These two candidates, Brandy Green and Michelle Castro, will be the second to go. 

Today is a special release day. Instead of releasing two episodes on Tuesday and Thursday, The Potters Cast is releasing both of this week's episode on Tuesday. As a result of NCECA 2020 conference getting canceled this year, the normal process of NCECA having a dedicated time of having the candidates for the Director at Large and the Student Director at Large share about what they would bring to the position and then to answer questions from the audience wasn't available. These two episodes are the replacement platform to allow these fine candidates to share their stories. In this first episode we are going to dedicate this to the position of Director at Large. These two candidates, Simon Levin and Cat Traen, will be the first to go. 

A little about the process. I invited all four to schedule an time with me. The recordings were done on a "first come, first served" basis. And then they were put together in the same manner. I hope you enjoy these conversations. 

Shae Bishop earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute. Shae's artwork explores the relationships between ceramics and textiles. Shae has been a resident artist at The Archie Bray Foundation, Red Star Studios, and elsewhere in the US, as well as in Indonesia, Turkey, and Hungary.

More than anything else Lucy Ernst is an environmental artist. Lucy started out sculpting with bones and ‘dead things’ and then moved into clay when she discovered the idea of wild clay. With her work Lucy wants to force people to open their eyes to the environment around them, to the wild things, and to change how they see their world, their everyday!

This year's NCECA that was slated to take place in Richmond, Virginia had to be cancelled as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. In this bonus episode of The Potters Cast the executive director, Josh Green and a few of the board member, Board Steward Rhonda Willers, Current President Holly Hanessian, and incoming President Elect Pete Pinell all got on a conference call with me to tell their story of how NCECA is doing. After the introductions we talked about three things- How they came to their decision and its impact, what is going on currently and in the future with NCECA, and how we as a community can help.

Ryan Ball is a Twin Cities, Minnesota based potter originally from Louisiana. Working mostly in midrange white clay, Ryan produces a wide range of functional wares. Ryan pulls from a decade of production studio experience, employing colorful glazes of his own design over soft, inviting forms decorated with slip textures.

Isaac Shue is living a life of clay! As a teacher, Isaac is teaching our next generation of ceramicists by day and then working the studio life by night! Amanda Fungue color and plant lover and is seeking fun, small-batch pottery and art! Together they have collaborated together to make some amazing work. In this conversation we talk about the ins and outs of collaboration. 

Ryan Rakhshan. Teacher, glaze designer, and kiln technician. Ryan occasionally makes a pot just to make sure his glazes and kilns are working.

Hector Kriete's life and art has been a path of breaking boundaries that are formed by rules and expectations. As a Latino immigrant from Colombia, Hector grew up with the mindset that financial stability was the primary goal in life. But on the inside, Hector always had a strong desire to create art and a need to be surrounded by nature. Hector spent his teenage years in Southern California trying to assimilate and suppress his true self. When Hector started accepting who he was and rediscovering himself through his roots, Hector's soul was nourished and his creativity was sparked. Hector started doing ceramics when he was a child in Colombia. When he moved to the States, Hector focused on his drawing skills, but soon felt constrained by the overwhelming amount of rules imposed by one of his high school teachers. Hector rediscovered ceramics through a teacher who allowed him to experiment and create without strict direction. This freed Hector to discover a world of unlimited possibilities. Another inspirational teacher in college taught Hector the value of making mistakes and not being afraid to take risks. Hector has learned that the best things can often come from not having expectations and allowing a co-creative process with the medium.

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.

Kimmy Rohrs and Aaron McSorley are the potters behind whiskey and clay - ceramics for everyday use from the high deserts in Santa Fe New Mexico and Terlingua Texas. Kimmy throws all the pots at her studio in a converted gas station near downtown Santa Fe, drives them up the mountain to their adobe home where the couple and their kiln live, Aaron then fires each piece to cone 10 temperatures in a heavy reduction firing environment. The outcome is rustic, minimal, and simple pieces to add joy to everyday life.

Ceramics found Embla Sigurgeirsdottir in 2011 when she stood at crossroads in life and took her on a journey she didn´t expect, an adventure had begun and a new passion for life. Embla works mainly with surface texture by carving into and through her porcelain designs, creating strong patterns and dramatic effects of light and shadows. Embla's designs often come from the ability of the material itself.  Working with porcelain and drawn to its white and translucent nature, Embla plays with the boundaries it gives her, always trying to push it a little further each time.

Denise McDonald originally trained as a Landscape Architect, obtaining a Degree in Landscape Architecture in 1991. Denise quickly realized that wasn’t for her and switched to a career path in ceramics by doing a TAFE Diploma of Ceramics in 1996-97. Denise worked in production potteries over the next few years to learn the skills and traditions of her trade from the roots up, most notably, she did the Dartington Pottery Traineeship in England in 1998-1999. Denise began her business DM Pottery in 2010.

Working out of her home studio in Virginia, Marianne Tolosa creates almost exclusively mugs inspired by the garden. There is an inherent intimacy to objects that have been made by hand, and Marianne's work is created with the hope of bringing quiet beauty, meditation, and joy into a person’s coffee or tea ritual.

Born in Pennsylvania but raised in Nebraska, Danielle Whigham received her B.A. in studio art from Northwestern College in 2007. While in college, Danielle was able to take advanced classes in ceramics, painting, and printmaking. Over the past two years, Danielle has been starting up a small ceramic studio in her home while also making the transition from full-time mom to studio potter. Danielle has been able to sell her work at several markets across the state and start an online store.

Lindsay Klix is the ceramic artist who runs Off Your Rocker Pottery. Lindsay has been working in clay for 21 years and specializes in dinnerware, including full dish sets. Lindsay's work has been featured in the American Farmhouse Style Magazine, in the number one selling cookbook No Crumbs Left, and more.

For the last nine years, Elena Vasilantonaki has been making with clay, inspired by her need to express herself, to achieve communication, and to present her view of the human nature to others. Born in 1977 in Athens Greece, Elena moved to over six cities by the age of eighteen.  After completing her BA in English Literature  at the University of Athens, Elena taught at a local school for a few years until she stopped to become a full time mother. During that period Elena started taking painting lessons as a creative outlet. In 2010 Elena met with neighbor and talented English potter, Janet Lines who introduces Elena to clay and the ancient firing techniques of raku and pit firing. In 2016 Elena turns her home basement into her studio while still taking pottery classes. In 2018 Elena completes a one year seminar on ceramics technology at Iridanos pottery school  by acclaimed potter Menandros Papadopoulos. She has been working out of her studio ever since.

Chiara Della Santina was born and raised in Tuscany but spent many years living abroad. Chiara moved back to Orbetello (her hometown) 5 years ago. For many years Chiara worked as a language teacher. About 2 years ago Chiara decided to shake up her life and become a full-time potter. So far it’s been the best decision Chiara ever made in her entire life!

Stephanie H. Shih explores concepts of home—not just as a physical place, but also as cultural, generational, and emotional spaces we inhabit—through the lens of Asian-American identity. Eighteen pieces from her current body of work will be exhibited at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (Pomona, CA) in 2020. Stephanie lives in Brooklyn.

Bethany Sheesley is a ceramic artist, brand designer, and studio owner with a BFA from the University of Iowa. Bethany has spent the last decade fully immersed in design and ceramics. Three years ago, Bethany realized a dream of hers by creating a new pottery studio in Phoenix, AZ, where she lives and works with other artists. Bethany's ceramic work is an ever-evolving exploration, inspired by nature, design, and a variety of artistic mediums.

Tara Carter is a ceramic artist living in Telluride, Colorado. Tara earned her BA in Ceramics and MBA from Otterbein University in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Since graduating in 2011, Tara has been teaching ceramics classes, developing her own work by attending a variety of workshops, and exhibiting her wares.

Gabriela Martinez (Gabo Martini) was born in Tarimoro, Guanajuato, Mexico in 1995. She received her BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramics from Texas State University in 2018. Martini’s work is inspired by indigenous Mexican and Native American art. She carves patterning and lettering onto terracotta vessel forms.

Mia Moss is a potter born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After moving to Berlin in 2014, Mia decided to commit to pottery as her career. In 2017, Mia opened a small community space, to give classes and bring in other potters. In 2019, Mia moved again to an even bigger space.

Amy Brummond is the clay enthusiast and self-taught potter behind Pine Zen Pottery. She loves combining color and pattern in her work. Amy practices yoga and meditation daily and gets outside as often as possible. She currently resides in Minnesota--where she lives with her husband and two sons.

Emma Hall is a 30 year old, self-taught potter based in the beautiful Cotswold’s in the U.K. Emma has always been creative, even creating her own shows at age 16, but she didn’t continue this creativity and went to university studying something completely different. Emma says something she learned in life is that if you are truly creative it will find you again and so she did with pottery. Emma creates brightly colored and fluid pieces. Addicted to color is a fitting description for Emma. She exclusively uses Amaco Brent branded glazes to get the colors she loves. Emma's pottery is hand built with slip used for the decoration.

Joe Lee is a ceramic artist living in Irvine, California. Joe has been doing pottery for 10 years and he likes to throw vessels and cover the surfaces with intricately carved patterns.

Keith Hershberger is a potter living in Philadelphia who has made a living working in clay for over 20 years. In 2011 Keith founded the Highland Park Pottery Tour, a neighborhood based tour where ceramic artists invite the public into their homes and studios to view and purchase their work.

Creating pots is for Yoon Surl the ultimate act of consciousness. Rather than letting Youn's unconsciousness drive his art work, Yoon fashions clay into a shape that corresponds to a preconceived vision.

Dave Zackin studied animation at RISD, taught art classes for adults with schizophrenia for a few years, redesigned the recycling stickers for the City of New York, and then got into ceramics. His work, mostly depicting old men with big noses, is often made from greenware and bisquware discarded by others.

Louis Reilly has been making functional pottery since 2008. Louis maintains a steady studio practice and exhibits his work internationally. Louis obtained his BFA in 2009 from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his MFA in 2013 from Utah State University. Louis serves as Studio Coordinator at KC Clay Guild and teaches ceramics at Benedictine College. 

Michelle Miolla is  a potter living in the mountains of North Carolina in a town called Vilas, right outside of Boone. Michelle has her BFA in clay from Appalachian State University. Michelle primarily handbuilds, but also loves to throw on the wheel. Michelle also bartends at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Boone’s first brewery!

Rosemarie Durr is a Kilkenny based Irish potter who hand throws a range of contemporary stoneware tableware which is designed for everyday use. Rosemarie has a background in design and her distinctive powder blue and buttermilk white glazes are uplifting and fit into every home and lifestyle. The pots are thrown finely and are light to the touch. Rosemarie shares her studio and shop with ceramic artist husband Andrew Ludick.

Zeynep Testoni’s work is inspired by the ocean and natural surrounds of her home in the seaside village of Gerroa, two hours south of Sydney in NSW, Australia. Zeynep has chosen ceramics as her ‘encore career’ after teaching English in secondary schools for almost 30 years. Zeynep's home studio is becoming a thriving local hub for pottery enthusiasts.

David Kenton Kring was born and raised in Frankfort, Kentucky where he grew up in a small family-run men's workwear store. This blue collar atmosphere helped to influence not only David's passion of working with his hands but also his surfaces. David received his BA from Transylvania University focusing in ceramics and mixed media. David then began working for the ceramic distributor Kentucky Mudworks, where he honed his skills as a figurative sculptor and potter. Since then David has exhibited nationally, lectured and demoed at major universities, and has begun curating gallery shows and craft markets. David is currently living in Lexington, Kentucky where he keeps a home studio as a full time working artist.

Daniel Tomcik is a wood fire potter and pizza maker from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dan received his BFA from California University of Pennsylvania. He worked as an apprentice at the Baltimore Clayworks Noborigama, and as summer staff at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. Daniel is currently the Studio and Grounds Manager at Touchstone Center for Crafts, where he is working to cultivate a community of wood-firing enthusiasts.

Shawna Pincus is a ceramic artist living in Baltimore Maryland with her husband Michael, daughter Amelia, and their cat Bowie. Shawna grew up right outside of Philadelphia and attended school at the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned a BFA in sculptural studies then continued on to Towson University earning her certification in Art Education. Shawna has taught as an art teacher in the public school system, as an adjunct Professor of Art Education for Towson University, instructs adult pottery classes at the Baltimore Clayworks and has led various workshops with adults, children and art teachers. Shawna spends most of her time working in her basement studio creating hand built functional pottery and perfecting her unique style of screen-printing on clay.

Mike Regan is a California native, born in San Diego and raised in the South Bay area. Mike currently works in the movie FX industry creating strange and fantastic creatures, as well as horrifying deaths at the hands of theses creatures. So, why is Mike on the Potter's Cast? Because a year and a half ago, Mike decided to apply his knowledge of sculpture and mold making to ceramics and take up another hobby... Not like he doesn't have too many already!

Lean Van der Merwe has been obsessed with pottery his whole life, and instantly fell in love with wheel throwing after his first class. Lean is ecstatic to share his creations. Each piece is thoughtfully made and glazed individually, and every single one is absolutely unique.

Toni Losey ceramicist from Dartmouth, NS, received her BFA from NSCAD, 2018. While there, Toni's 15 years as a studio potter helped develop a body of sculptural work. Toni has shown at SOFA Chicago, NCECA, and many private and public galleries. Tony was published in Ceramics Monthly and teaches at NSCAD.

Lucy Fagella has a BFA from Alfred University College of Art and Design (1985). Lucy is a full time potter and ceramics instructor. Lucy's work has been included in national juried exhibitions, ceramics publications, and home magazines. Lucy is a founding member of the Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail since it's inception in 2004.

After spending two years as a structural engineering student at Cal Poly State University, Kenny Sing transferred to the Arts department where he focused advertising design and teaching ceramics on the side. Since graduating graphic design remains Kenny's primary occupation in San Francisco, where he is also extremely dedicated to his art of ceramics at Clay By the Bay SF Pottery School.

Christopher St John has been active as a professional artist for 18 years now. Most of Christopher's career has been focused on painting, but in the past year Christopher has switched over to ceramics.

Myrrto Zirini studied interior design and architecture in London where she also worked for 3 years as a consultant at Space Syntax Ltd. In 2004 Myrto returned to her home city, Athens Greece, and worked within architecture and design in multiple areas – urban/public spaces, architecture and interior design (as a partner at aka lab architects) down to the smaller scales of exhibitions, furniture and graphic design. Myrto has also taught at the MA interior design course at Vakalo Art & Design College in Athens. She moved to the island of Corfu in 2012. Myrto went on a six month period learning ceramics with a local potter in Corfu in 2014 and continued learning on her own by experimenting with clay.  In 2015 Myrto started her own small studio and production. In 2017 Myrto created a combined studio and showroom in the old town of Corfu, focusing on one of a kind sculptural, organic forms.

Lilly Mandarano is the designer-maker behind The Super Sparrow ceramics. Lilly hand builds ceramic tableware in her studio in Deptford, SE London. Lilly studied Fine Art and then moved into ceramics by change following that. The pieces are designed to reflect a natural, minimal, and relaxed aesthetic.

Michael Hall is from Kansas City, Missouri. He escaped to Tempe, Arizona–earned his BFA from Arizona State University in 2012, worked as a Secondary Ceramics Teacher, and left to work with Steven Hill at 323Clay in Independence, Missouri. Currently, Michael is a MFA candidate at Bowling Green State University.

Hayley Knouff is a self taught potter and owner of Desert Sun Ceramics, a small community clay studio in Moab, UT. Hayley's passion for ceramics and her desire to support art in her rural community are what drive her to create a thriving studio space where all skill levels are welcome.

LeeAnn Dodde make pots at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. LeeAnn's greenware is packed up and shipped out on a mule. LeeAnn is transitioning to full time pottery during the summer of 2019.

Troy Drake is a potter who was born with Down syndrome. Each piece of pottery is handmade by Troy, sometimes with the help of his mom, Suzanne. 100% of the proceeds from his pottery are donated to non profit organizations at the end of the year.

Elizabeth Schaefer Endener started working with clay in high school but did not pursue it as a career. Instead Elizabeth got her degree in Biology and worked at a variety of places trying to find the right fit. Elizabeth got involved with the organic and sustainable food movement, working for and managing some start-up companies including local food cooperatives and a small organic farm. Elizabeth's entrepreneurial spirit grew and decided that what she wanted more than anything was to combine her two passions, both of which involved transforming the earth. So, in 2015 Elizabeth set upon starting a business creating and designing a beautiful line of pottery, as well as growing a little cut flower garden and raising butterflies. 

Krista Coons is the ceramic artist known as Her Name Is Mud. Krista graduated from Brigham Young University with her BFA in ceramics. Krista lives in the Arizona desert with her husband and three children, working out of her home studio with blush tiled floors.

Laurie Carretta Scupp lives and works in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Laurie ceramics are hand built using slabs and pinch pots. Laurie works with red earthenware clay and is inspired by nature, which Laurie uses to form illustrated narratives on her work.

Thomas Skupniewitz has been working in clay for the past 10 years. Thomas was a wallpaper hanger for 43 years and he is self taught in many other mediums. Thomas never had the grades or money in his youth to attend higher education but he did not let it stop him. Thomas wishes to convey to The Potters Cast listeners that we have to play the cards we were dealt and simply practice, practice, practice.

Karishma Rodriques was born and raised in Mumbai, India.   Life handed Karishma clay in 2012 after what she can only call a a missed call in 2011. Karishma has been working, teaching ,experimenting, fighting, and falling in love with clay ever since and continues to do so. Karishma finds inspiration from characters in sitcoms, movies, and books as apposed to nature. Karishma considers clay to be a person with his moods and is her shrink when in need.

Jill Leary is a practicing artist and NYS certified art teacher. Jill has a BFA in Fine Arts, concentration in Ceramics and a BA in Art Education from Syracuse University as well as a MS in Fine Arts. Jill worked for Brewster Central Schools for 11 years as an Art Teacher until she had her two daughters. Jill now owns and runs Railyard Arts Studio.

Brielle Rovito is a ceramicist and designer living and working in Burlington, Vermont. Brielle makes clean, sculptural forms that reference humanness, movement, and the body. Brielle work is best identified by oblong shapes and bulbous moments that hover between the functional/non-functional line.

Calou Calay is the collaborative work of engaged couple Lisa Tantillo and Zack Callaghan. After 5 years on the art circuit they have developed a series of thrown and altered work inspired by a monster lore ranging from the of Boo Hag of the Carolinas to the Yokai Oni of Japan. The artists capture these creatures in clay as a means of exploring the human psyche and honoring the traditions of storytelling.

Sean Scott is a ceramic artist who specializes in hand built functional pottery. Scott, originally from Dayton, Ohio, earned his BFA from Ohio University and his MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He currently lives in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota where he operates Pomme de Terre Pottery.

Marco Minetti is an apprentice potter to Kwak Kyungtae in Icheon, Korea, founder of Ceramic Masterclass intensive workshops.

Linda Engstrom has been an environmental activist since 12 yrs old. Linda went to College Art Studies and focused on illustration, prints, and photography. Linda is a freelance photographer and lived in Spain when she was 24-32 yrs old. Linda moved back to Sweden 2011. Linda has dealt with depression and PTSD. Ceramics gives peace of mind to Linda. 

Tim Kowalczyk, Curt Hammerly, and Sean Roberts have all been on the show in the past with their own episodes. Today they have all teamed up to discuss the various approaches to selling pottery through galleries, online, or events. With their backgrounds and approaches, Tim, Curt, and Sean have their own track records that they draw from for this conversation.

Forrest Middelton is back on The Potters Cast! You may remember Forrest as the source of the amazing tool, The Studio Sander. You may also remember Forrest as an amazing artist that creates functional wares and his amazing tiles. Forrest has now written a book on tile making. If you are looking for a step-by-step guide, Forrest's book has it, but it is much more. It also dives into the history of tiles, design, and installation. 

Roxanna Dourthe is a Caribbean born artist who has settled in Sabiñan, Spain. Not content with any one medium, Roxanna is involved in printmaking, experimenting pottery, tile making, and ceramic murals. Roxanna is a never-ending student.

Leigh Anne Thompson and her fiancé, Steven, are full-time potters traveling around the US selling their work at renaissance festivals as well as online. They have multiple studios and spend a good part of the year living on the road, making pots, and homeschooling their son Ocean. They put just as much creativity into growing their business as they do their pots, always trying new ideas to keep it fresh. They have a line of gourmet coffee all with ceramic inspired names and sell specialty underglaze transfers for other potters to use in their work. They take pride in “Living the dream” and are supporters of other makers finding their way to "artpreneurship" as well.

Nancy Gardner received a BFA in Ceramics from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia 1980 and MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1984.  After that Nancy taught for 3 years in Dayton Ohio.  When Nancy and her future husband decided to get married, she moved to Chicago where they started Nancy Gardner Ceramics, a line of highly decorative, somewhat functional ceramics.  They raised 2 boys, rehabbed some buildings and sent a lot of pots out into the world.  They lived happily ever after and remain there to this very day. 

Sam Lopez is a potter living and working in San Diego, California. Sam teaches ceramics as an adjunct instructor at Riverside City College and makes pots in his home studio.

Avi Farber is a wood-fire ceramic artist and documentary photographer based in Taos, New Mexico, U.S.A.  Avi studied philosophy at Bates College, ME,  Digital Media Production at the Maine Media Workshops, and Spanish at the Universidad de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. Working in clay, Avi creates installations, sculptures, and functional wares that explore natural processes.  Avi's work is raw and refined, subtle and gestural.  Drawn to the moments that break through the distractions of daily life, Avi documents the unbridled power of wildfires. A firsthand witness to climate change, Avi makes photographs and ceramics works that offer a bridge to the natural landscapes, a connection that has been lost by many as we distance ourselves from the ecosystems we rely on.   Avi's photos and video reveal a strong sense of place as seen from a quite observer.  Avi's ceramic work has been exhibited internationally, and his documentary photography of wildfires has been recognized by National Geographic magazine.

Clay has been in Lisa Neimeth's life since studying ceramics in college. Lisa is constantly taking note of colors in nature, food, magazines, newspapers, fashion, street art, and graffiti and she loves seeing colors put together unexpectedly. Lisa's plates can inspire and tell a story so they are evocative in the traditional “art” sense—but are completely functional. Lisa also loves the notion of high-end craft and taking time to carefully make everyday items. It is the way things used to be made—by hand and with great care and craft. That care of Lisa's encourages an appreciation of the everyday.

Romaine Begay (Ro) has been a full-time Potter for going on twenty plus years, where he incorporates the traditional Navajo rug weaving designs, traditional stories within his family as well as his experiences as a Native American in today's age into the ceramic pieces that he creates.

As an artist, potter and designer Lindsay Scypta is deeply interested in textile pattern, Victorian etiquette, architectural tracery, and the history of the table. Lindsay began her ceramics investigation in high school and continued into college, completing a BFA in Art & Design from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. For two remarkable summers Lindsay immersed herself in the artist community at Anderson Ranch Art Center as a summer intern, filling her ceramic toolbox with techniques and tools. Finally after two years as an artist-in-residence at Ashland University, Lindsay arrived at The Ohio State University where she completed her MFA in ceramic art. Lindsay was blessed with the opportunity to follow her thesis research to England, where she visited the Wedgwood Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Brighton Palace. Some influences over the past years have been the softness of tufted Victorian sitting room chairs, and the architectural motifs and quatrefoils of European Gothic cathedrals. Following graduate school Lindsay spent one year as an Artist-in-Resident at Clay Art Center in Port Chester, New York. Currently Lindsay is an adjunct ceramics professor at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio. Working strictly with porcelain clay, the work is thrown, trimmed, altered and decorated, then fired to cone six in an electric oxidation atmosphere. Lindsay ism still continuing to push her ideas and am excited to incorporate new research into her studio practice!

Shelsea is a ceramic sculptor from Binghamton, NY. She received her BFA in Ceramics from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2013, and she was a post baccalaureate student at the University of Alaska Anchorage from 2016 to 2018. Shelsea’s work primarily investigates feminist and queer issues, as well as human/animal relationships and the parallels she perceives between the two. She is currently a long term resident artist at Studio 740 in Helena, MT.

Billy Ritter 77 is a ceramic artist from Cleveland, Ohio. A graduate of Kent State University (MFA), and Slippery Rock University (BFA). For the past five years he has taught and inspired many as a professor of art and ceramics at Cuyahoga Community College. At his Cleveland studio he offers one-on-one tutoring and workshops. Billy exhibits and sells his work at his studio as well as at many artisan markets throughout Northern Ohio. Atmospheric firing, community, and story telling through process, are the focus of his work. His limited editions of functional tablewares and vessels are utilized by chefs, home cooks, photo studios, and collectors both nationally and internationally.

Based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK, Anna Whitehouse's work has evolved from growing up in the region and spending time outdoors. From scrambling over rocks in the Yorkshire Dales to scouring the beach for fossils near Whitby, a love of landscape, natural forms and exploration can be seen echoed in Anna's work. Ultimately Anna aims to create beautiful and intriguing objects that awaken a childlike sense of wonder and appreciation of the natural world.

Joe Robinson is the co-owner and steward of the historic East Creek Anagama wood fired kiln. Nestled on 20 acres in Oregon’s coastal mountains, East Creek is a community art studio and retreat. Joe will share news about the upcoming NW Wood Firing Conference in June 2020, which is being organized by the East Creek team.

Julia Kofman is a full time ceramic artist. Julia works in her home studio in Ramat Gan in Israel. Julia was born in Moscow, and in 2018 she moved to Israel with her husband and children. Julia is selling her works twice a week in Nachlat Binyamin Artists Fair of Tel Aviv, which is a famous street market of handmade, supported by municipality of Tel Aviv.

Lukas Easton is from Homer Alaska. Lukas recieved his BFA from the university of Alaska anchorage. Lukas is currently teaching at the Rochester institute of technology and is an independent designer for Jenggala in Bali Indonesia. In the summers Lukas works in Alaska commercial fishing and this fall will be attending Alfred university for graduate school.

Focusing on fragility and subtle strength, Rhonda Willers creates art with repetitive forms and markings reflecting on memories and nature through diverse materiality. Rhonda is the author of Terra Sigillata: Contemporary Techniques. Rhonda studied at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (BFA) and University of Nebraska-Lincoln (MFA). Rhonda is a studio artist, author, mother, and NCECA Board Steward located in Elk Mound, Wisconsin.

Originally from Hamburg, Germany, stencil artist Anja Bartels discovered pottery making while living in an intentional community in Virginia. Passion ignited, Anja returned home to study in the German Ceramics Guild, which honed her skills in a way much different from the typical experience in American art schools. With a strong focus on craftsmanship and technical skill, Guild training provided Anja with the groundwork for making a quality product paired with the practical experience of working with a master potter for three years. The apprentices must engage in all aspects of the business, including marketing, sales, accounting, and production.

Anja’s nautically themed porcelain employs several different techniques including slip trailing, sgraffito (a technique where underglaze is painted onto greenware and a design is carved back through, revealing the clay body underneath), poured and sprayed glazes, and a unique resist technique used in the making of her beautiful urchin bowls. These bowls are thrown and trimmed on the wheel, then several thousand small slip-trailed spikes are applied using a surgical bulb while she listens to audiobooks about shipwrecks. Anja’s personal aesthetic and process are consistent and highly developed, reflecting her upbringing in a port town and her love of ships and the ocean. It is as if her pieces were born in the sea.

Sharrel Paul was born and raised in a suburb of Boston, MA, but moved to California in her mid-20s. Sharrel decided to move back home in 2013 when she was diagnosed with stage 3/4 metastatic melanoma. Sharrel discovered ceramics in 2014 when she decided to take a class at a local studio as a form of “art therapy” while she was undergoing treatment. Sharrel fell in love with making functional pieces very quickly and then started her journey on Instagram to be able to sell her work and crocheted items.

Benedicte and Jerome Leclere recently left Brooklyn to find a better life balance and spend more time making ceramics. Relocating upstate New York near Woodstock, they just launched their brand called l'Impatience. Both originally from France and always on the look out for new objects to create, the name refers to the eagerness and expectation behind every project (pronounced ‘Lum-puh-see-unce’’). Their style is mainly defined by their tableware collections, elegant and minimalistic, that people can simply appreciate every day. They also enjoy making unique pieces such as vases and bonsai pots, a jewelry collection or even limited clothing items.

We get a real treat in this interview! We head into the classroom of Jerm Wright and spend time with the teacher, and two of his students, Jack Butler and Gage Clisby. This is a great insight into the high school classroom and what the ceramic program is like. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed it.

Andrew Linderman is a studio potter and former high school chemistry teacher. Originally from the Twin Cities, Andrew currently living and working in Milwaukee, WI. Andrew makes functional pots to make the best moments in life better, to make the mundane moments more enjoyable, and to make the difficult moments more bearable. Andrew uses his background in chemistry to create glazes that are enhanced by the firing process in which he produces his pots. Recently, Andrew has also explored how the wood-firing process affects the surfaces of his pots. Andrew continually strives to create work in which the functionality of a piece is enhanced by its aesthetic and tactile qualities. Andrew graduated from Luther College (Decorah, IA) in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. Andrew has learned his art and craft primarily from George Lowe during his undergraduate studies, S.C. Rolf post-graduation and wood firing from Simon Levin.. Linderman also teaches classes at Cream City Clay in Milwaukee, WI.

Matt Fiske's work explores the intersection of material, science, and ceramic firing process. Experimentation is an important aspect of Matt's studio practice, and focuses on manipulating common materials using uncommon firing conditions. Matt is inspired by the natural phenomena that occur in mineralogy and geology. In Matt's mind’s eye, glaciers give way to icy celadon glazes, volcanoes ooze magma as glazes cascade down curves and roll off edges, crystals grow when conditions are conducive. Daily life, too, plays an important role in what Matt makes and why. The needs of the kitchen are for Matt, like many potters, a useful starting point for conceiving specific forms. Matt also draws from historical Asian ceramics as well as my experiences living in China and Korea. In the end, Matt strives to synthesize complex glazes and surfaces with objects that are as useful as they are beautiful.

Kukuli Velarde is a Peruvian artist based in the United States since 1987. She has received awards and grants such as the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Pollock Krasner Foundation grant, the United States Artists-Knight fellowship, the Pew fellowship in Visual Arts, the Anonymous is a Woman award, the Joan Mitchell Foundation grant, among others. In 2013 her project CORPUS got the Grand Prize at the Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennial in South Korea. Her exhibition credits include: KUKULI VELARDE: THE COMPLICIT EYE at Taller; KUKULI VELARDE at AMOCA; PLUNDER ME, BABY at the Yenggi Museum of Ceramics’ Biennial of Taipei; CORPUS at the Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennial ; also KUKULI VELARDE: PLUNDER ME, BABY at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in, PATRIMONIO at Barry Friedman Gallery and PLUNDER ME, BABY at Garth Clark Gallery. She is married to Doug Herren, sculptor and they have a small daughter named Vida. They live in Philadelphia, PA. USA.

Logan Bishop was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Logan is an emerging artist residing in Louisville, Kentucky.  He received his high school diploma from Saint Xavier High School in 2014.  He received his BFA, emphasis on 3D in ceramics, from the University of Louisville in the spring of 2019. He has had work in displayed at the Cressman Center for Visual Arts for an annual student exhibition show, as well as the Louisville Hite Art Institute Gallery for his thesis exhibition. Logan’s current work explores the nature of the surface of a utilitarian vessel limiting its utility but increasing its visual presence within the space.

Torbjørn Kvasbø lives and works in Venabygd, Norway.  When Torbjørn was a child,  his father said, "For God's sake, never get a regular job.  With those words to encourage him, Torbjørn has pursued his own ambitions and intentions without hesitation.  Clay has been the pursuit that Torbjørn has worked with instead of getting that "regular job". Even Torbjørn's work with clay has been far from "regular".  He approaches clay punches, massage, kneading, rolling, throwing, pressing, stretching, and stamping all the while trying to get clay to become the vision that dances in Torbjørn's own mind.

Aysha Peltz’s pottery explores imagined space, scale and the poetic properties of the ceramic medium. She is a studio potter and faculty at Bennington College in Vermont. Aysha and her husband, Todd Wahlstrom, also own and operate StudioPro Bats. Aysha has taught at a number of schools and art centers including: Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and the Kansas City Art Institute. Aysha's work is in many collections including Huntington Museum of Art, where she received the Walter Gropius Master Award. Aysha received her BFA and MFA from Alfred University.

Ryan W. Kelly has BFA in Ceramics from the Kansas City Art Institute and an MFA from The Ohio State University. Ryan is currently an Assistant Professor of Ceramics and Foundations at Western Washington University. Previously Ryan lived in Philadelphia, where he was a resident artist at The Clay Studio.