Pots for Membership
Join us in welcoming our February Pots for Membership!
Each month, Studio Potter features a small selection of artists and their work, which is available for sale in our online store for thirty days only. In exchange for the sale of their piece, the artist (or a chosen beneficiary) will receive a one-year free membership to the journal.
Here are this month's participants:
Vanessa Norris
Vanessa Norris is an artist who makes subtle yet playful functional tableware. She often incorporates tactile oddities on the inside of a handle or at the mouth of a cup, inviting users to take a closer look at details that are only visible close-up. She is interested in perception and what kinds of details capture the attention of viewers.
Vanessa graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in ceramics in 2016. Since then, she has moved to Washington state and become assistant to Deb Schwartzkopf at Rat City Studios. She lives in West Seattle and exhibits nationally.
Check out Vanessa's piece on our store HERE.
See more of Vanessa's work at http://www.vanessamnorris.com/about.html
Wendy Werstlein
Wendy came to clay as a second vocation. For ten years, she taught high school biology, working to cultivate students' desire to explore the world through scientific inquiry. From glaze mixing and clay composition to designs inspired by the natural world, this inquiry serves her in her studio, too. Wendy earned an associates degree in professional crafts from Haywood Community College, then moved to Floyd, Virginia, and worked as an apprentice to Silvie Granatelli. She has since settled her home and studio in Floyd.
I'm moved by the simplicity of pottery; there is a clear purpose to a bowl - the proxy for hands cupped together holding, carrying, containing - that nourishes our bodies and our minds. I'm inspired by the way a soft stroke of the hand can lend movement to a piece of wet clay, then transform it through firing.
We are making our values tangible, and surrounding ourselves with those objects reinforces them. My mind and hands infuse each piece of clay with these ideas. As my pots move out into the world, my touch is extended to the person in whose home that pot resides.
Check out Wendy's piece on our store HERE.
See more of Wendy's work at http://wrennpottery.com
Puneeta Mittal 
Born and educated in India, Puneeta Mittal received a master’s degree in Hindi literature in New Delhi, and launched her teaching career at The Valley School, A Krishnamurti Foundation boarding school, in Bangalore. After moving to the United States in 1994, Puneeta discovered her passion for clay and focused on exploring clay forms and surfaces with Betty Busby of The Clayroom studio in Oyster Bay, New York. In 2006 Puneeta graduated with an MA in studio art from Adelphi University, followed by an MFA from Long Island University in 2008. She was invited to teach ceramics at Adelphi University in 2005, and in 2010 at Suffolk County Community College where she continues to instruct as an adjunct professor.
With a strong belief that everything that is born grows and withers away to be born yet again, – incessant change from one to another proceeds in an evolutionary cycle – I choose not to be limited to a small corner space that defines who I am and what I must create. The exploration of materials and processes help me realize a specific idea, in clay or on canvas, through surface or form. This exploration is the driving force behind each piece that I create. I seek surfaces that purposely encourage touch and by inviting the hand to explore the forms as well as the eye, I continually draw inspiration from the natural world – internal and external. The simple ceramic forms I make are enhanced by the use of layering of ceramic materials, often they are left raw so the ash from the wood firing process creates a surface that is an imagined space.
Check out Puneeta's piece on our store HERE.
See more of Puneeta's work at http://www.puneetaart.com
Flo Kaczorowski
Flo Kaczorowski started taking classes in 1980 at the Potter's Wheel Studio in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York. She now teaches at the Potter's Wheel Studio.
My fascination with clay and all elements of nature began in my childhood garden. As a young adult, a chance visit to a community studio reignited the passion for clay that led to workshops with potters John Leach, Walter Keeler, Robin Hopper, Kevin Crow and others. New directions beckoned when I was introduced to the exciting practices of wood-firing and gas/salt firing. My current work continues along these paths, and I eagerly anticipate new inspiration at every kiln opening.
Check out Flo's piece on our store HERE.
Want to find out more about the program or submit a piece of your own?
Email sophie@studiopotter.org
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