I honestly feel so fortunate, considering what happened, what people went through in the flood, and what people are going through worldwide. I lost my studio. I lost a studio that I put everything into for the past eleven years. I lost a lot of things and a beautiful space to work; we had a garden, an incredible space that we had worked endlessly on for over a decade. This is all so terribly sad, but we are still lucky.

One aspect of the work stems from a collective lens of trauma, but the pendulum also swings in the direction of healing and vitality. It starts with me, but I'm just one smattering of molecules of the same experience we all partake in as humans. You're right; it’s probably too early to tell because my body is still in shock from the whole experience, or not even in shock, just like on autopilot survival.

Later that night, we could hear the winds start to come; we could hear trees falling and transformers blowing outside. It was surreal. You think, "There is no way I'm hearing that many trees falling outside."

The fact that there's so much good work coming out of North Carolina, both currently and historically, has set a high bar. I find it inspiring. I was trying to think of the word for this, but my motivation is fueled by whatever the friendlier version of competition is. I think there is a certain degree of “surround yourself with people better than you,” and then you rise with the tide. I think this has influenced me the most.

When I’m in a good studio flow, after that sense of apprehension subsides and my hands warm up, I begin to follow my creative impulses – those little whispers that lead me to the next piece. This month's FREE article.

CJ Carter’s work deftly blends the language of architecture with the human form to interrogate societal constructs of strength, beauty, and gender. Carter's sculptures serve as powerful symbols of resilience and defiance, pushing back against the rigid expectations placed upon marginalized individuals. Similarly, Jess Cheng explores themes of nurture, suffering, and regeneration, offering a poignant reflection on the human condition and the capacity for growth amidst adversity. Nicki Green's sculptures and ritual objects delve into the preservation of history and the aesthetics of otherness, inviting viewers to reexamine their perceptions of identity and belonging. GV Kelley's chimeric creatures, with their hybrid forms and fluid identities, challenge the binaries that often govern our understanding of gender and identity. Through their work, Kelley initiates a crucial dialogue about the complexities of the human experience and the need for greater acceptance and understanding.

Reflecting on her practice, which has now spanned over two decades, Madhvi questions the foundational concepts that define her artistic endeavors. We explore the cornerstones of her ceramic practice that are inseparable from the radical histories of craft and the geographies that bind us to the clay medium.

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The morning of our last day at Hambidge was an exhausting one, given that feeding almost 100 the night before had been no easy feat. We gathered for breakfast not only to replenish our bodies but also to discuss our success of the past weeks together. As we sat on the front porch of Lucinda’s Rockhouse, we reveled in the memories of the delicious meal we’d created and served, a meal that was both hard-won and beautiful.

We are also past the arbitrary distaste for the decorative, the feminine, humor, and cuteness (among other aesthetic categories), which allows narrative content to flourish in the work of artists like Lindsey Lou Howard, Jennifer Rochlin, Roberto Lugo, Woody De Othello, Emily Yong Beck, Ruby Neri, and so many others. This month's FREE article.

We asked Winnie Owens-Hart to recommend several ceramic artists to accompany her forgoing interview "Inside the Pink House – A Conversation with Winnie Owens-Hart." She chose the following seven ceramic artists: Martha Jackson-Jarvis, Sana Musasama, Yvonne Edwards-Tucker, Janathel Shaw, Syd Carpenter, Teresa A. Williams, and Barbara Madden-Swain.

Recently, the vines have begun to seep their way over the edge of Shoko's pots. Crawling under feet and over rims into the interior of the spaces, they suggest a feeling of endlessness – something that cannot nor should not be contained.

"My artwork is a record of my experiences as an Afro-Latina American, I embrace my naturally curly hair, heritage, womanhood, and at times current worldly struggles." - Michelle Ettrick FREE ARTICLE!

This is what I do. This is what I make. FREE ARTICLE!

I see all of Seisler’s works (whether it's her artwork or the programming she creates for A-B Projects) as a way of exploring the language of clay, investigating our personal relationship to this material, and its ability to connect us to others in the community.

Welcome to the vibrantly intentional world of Brian Vu.

"You have to be mindful. You have to be cautious, but it doesn't always have to be a hard no," Tish Agoyo.

"I think it's really helpful if you can have an idea of what you want your life to look like, day-to-day, and also a year from now," Sue Tirrell

Rather than lean in to an oppositional response, the administrators who chose to be interviewed by Studio Potter here, have allowed themselves to be vulnerable by sharing their honest struggles as they grapple with systemic racism.

There was an old index card box labeled “Deaccessioned, Missing, or Stolen Works” sitting on the top of a filing cabinet. I loved everything about that blend of categories...

It’s kind of an old-fashioned dream. Not obsolete, but grounded in tradition and backed by a love of labor that comes from knowing you hold the ability to make something from nothing.

"Just when it seems the incline and hairpin turns won’t end, deep forest opens up to a passenger-side view of Horner Hall, the recently renovated home to the Penland gallery and visitors center." Join Sarah Kelly in conversation with Penland Resident Jason Hartsoe; captured last fall. A grateful recollection of deliberate advancement toward a goal.

We decided our first trip to the UK would be to St. Ives and Leach Pottery. This started our love affair with British studio ceramics

People read a visual artwork through many different things: a title, prominent color or patterns, etc., but they react quickly to something that’s more familiar to them.