Meghan Yarnell grew up in Northwest Ohio. Many of her happiest childhood memories include the time she spent exploring the field, creek, and woods behind her home. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2005 with a degree in 3D studies and has been teaching art in the public school system ever since. She is currently working as a high school ceramics teacher in Perrysburg, Ohio where she maintains a home studio alongside her husband and three children.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1059

Nicole Thomas is a high school Ceramics Teacher by day and a Potter by night. Each summer season, Nicole takes a deep breath before diving deeper into her home studio practice. Nicole's wheel-thrown ceramics focuses on incorporating her Signature Style with a colorful surface full of movement and visual texture.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1058

Over the past fifteen years of Cathy Terepocki's ceramics career she's had a diverse practice exhibiting, teaching, designing, and producing multiple collections of work. The backdrop of Cathy's studio is a large expanse of forest, with a river close by and the Cascade Mountains in view on a clear day. The influence of living close to nature is also something that has worked its way into Cathy's design practice. Cathy is most keenly aware of it in her choice of surface decoration - patterns abstracted from nature, vertical lines that mimic bare trees or grids that reference orchard rows. Glaze surfaces are inspired by mossy fence posts or the speckled smooth matte finish of a river stone.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1048

Brooke Knippa is an avid maker and lover of nature. Brooke grew up on the Front Range of Colorado but was eventually called east by the Atlantic Ocean, making her way to the wilds of Maine where she currently resides. Brooke is a full-time ceramicist, bringing joy and whimsy through her functional art.

http://ThePottersCast.com/958

As a self-taught artist, Sondra was not able to truly devote time to her creative journey until after retiring from her life in the business world. Her journey has taken her to study with Spanish, Austrailian, English, and American ceramic artists to develop her skills. With her pottery, her chosen medium is porcelain because its strength and delicacy learn to live in harmony. It is her perfect canvas to display the beautiful zinc-silicate crystals that can only be created through normally destructive fire. These naturally occurring phenomena inspire her never-ending desire to artistically harness their capability on the backdrop of her forms - which equally exude both capability and femininity.

http://ThePottersCast.com/957

John Tilton was a graduate student working toward a Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Florida when he was introduced to clay as an artistic medium in 1968. John subsequently took up Ceramics as a profession, earning his M.F.A. in Ceramics from the University of South Florida in 1972. John has gone on to teach classes in Mathematics at the University of Florida and in Ceramics at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, FL. John has been an independent studio artist since 1972. In 1978, he moved into a spiritual community, where he and his wife, Anne, still live and maintain their studio.

Kilnjoy Ceramics is owned and operated by Denise Joyal. Denise is the adjunct Professor of Ceramics at Wilson College and a graduate of Hood College with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Ceramic Arts. Like sunlight passing over the landscape, fire and soda vapor flow across the wares of Denise's work adding warm colors and permanently illuminating the vessels' surfaces. 

http://ThePottersCast.com/955

Roy Minarai began experimenting with making glazes and soon found that he enjoyed the process of making, testing, tweaking, and layering glazes as much as he liked making pots. Not long into making Roy was contacted by a leading expert in bonsai ceramics Ryan Bell, whose blog japanesebonsaipots.com is the largest most comprehensive database of potters marks, as well as wealth of information on bonsai ceramics. Ryan became a huge encouragement and soon asked about doing an interview. The rest is history.

http://ThePottersCast.com/954

From a young age Jeanette Stevens' infectious positivity and enthusiasm has been at the heart of both her career and personal life. Throw in Jeanette's fascination with organisation and passion for all things creative, it's no surprise her career path and hobbies have been varied! From Master baker & cake decorator to aerobics instructor & accountant, Jeanette's heart settled in the fabulous world of bridal, as Managing Director of global business selling designer wedding dresses to bridal shops. Sometimes the best things in life are the unexpected. When 2021 brought intense challenges navigating a business through covid lockdowns, Jeanette received a surprise birthday gift from her husband of a potters wheel, where she discovered incredible calm & stress release in a hobby that had been on her bucket list since a child. Six lessons later and hours of Youtube binge watching and she is totally addicted and passionate about Clay. In two short years she has built a home studio and documented her journey on Instagram and You Tube, having the best time ever in her happy place.

http://ThePottersCast.com/953

Eric Ordway is a potter and teacher currently living and working in Columbia, MO. Eric makes wheel-thrown and altered pots that are finished in high, atmospheric kilns. Eric's work is influenced by his blue-collar roots, his interest in spirituality, and fantasy. Eric recently was nominated as a 2023 Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly.

http://ThePottersCast.com/952

Harley Weigle is a Ceramic Artist and Art Educator interested in functional vessels as a bridge to deepen relationships and explore identity. Harley received his bachelors of Fine Arts from Shippensburg University and attended the University of Florida for a Post-Bacc in Ceramics. This fall Harley will graduate from Kutztown University with his Masters in Art Education.

http://ThePottersCast.com/951

AnaLuz Sainz Rodriguez was born in Michoacan in Mexico but now lives in Kalamazoo, MI with her family. AnaLuz has been practicing pottery for 3 years now and is currently an intern at Troy Bungart Studios where she also produces her work.

http://ThePottersCast.com/950

After years of play and study with clay, Miranda Trostle founded Sego Lily Pottery in 2015. By creating vessels with intention that explore the balance of aesthetics and utility, Miranda's work seeks to elevate the rituals of daily life. Having worked primarily with electric oxidation firings, Miranda is excited to begin exploring wood and gas reduction environments and learning to fire different types of kilns.

http://ThePottersCast.com/949

Rachael Kroeker is a full time ceramic artist based in Winnipeg, Mb, Canada where she has been creating tableware for over 13 years. Rachael specializes in slip casting and mold making. Along with creating her signature style of marbled pottery, Rachael explores bold colour and pattern combinations. With a modern, contemporary feel and exquisite craftsmanship, Rachael's pieces are designed to beautify life, and enrich daily routines.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1047

Michal Karen Gelman makes contemporary functional ceramic homeware. Michal finds herself drawn to the functional, but at the same time, she sees the material, as she touches the evergreen. Michal is fascinated by this connection. She loves to take a surface, a clay sheet, fold it, gives it a capacity, and create a container. plays with the rough and the delicate, the horizontal and the widthwise, movement versus stillness. What attracts and drives Michal forward, is the contact with the material itself, the traditional forms, and the way to unravel it. Freefolding is Michal's studio brand.

http://ThePottersCast.com/948

Gabs Conway is a sculptural ceramic artist based in Missoula Montana. Having grown up in Missoula, she was excited to return - as she relentlessly considers it home - after earning her BFA at the University of Wisconsin – Stout. Gabs' work stems from the playful, mundane experiences of living. She explores relationships, such as that of siblings, friends, and lovers. Interested in creating forms for the reflection of human experience; asking the viewer to consider their appreciation of life, and to humble the adornment of our physicality. Gabs remains curious of the inherent biological responses of living, and what it means to exist together in an ever changing world.

http://ThePottersCast.com/947

Ever since Tanner Gerstberger was young, he has had a yearning to create. Like many teenagers, Tanner found his first love in high school. Only Tanner's was the pottery wheel. Tanner took as many classes as he could and increased his skills to the point where Tanner was showcasing his art in local shows and competitions.Taking the plunge to being a full-time, economically challenged artist is a tough step to make. Tanner's plan was to pursue a degree in Construction Management at Colorado State University so that one day he would be able to save up enough money to do pottery full time. Dr. T was a nickname given to him by his friends in college. Eventually, word spread of Tanner's new nickname and his family decided to surprise him with a stunning, orange, neon sign as a gift, adding further sentiment to the name. Now the sign has become a symbol of Tanner's art and he realized the name Dr. T was here to stay.

http://ThePottersCast.com/946

Bebe Federmann Designs specializes in functional ceramics that are made to be used, whether it is for a special gathering or as your everyday tableware. Made in small batches, and limited editions, these handmade wares are created to make the home, and rituals of mealtime, more beautiful and meaningful. Bebe resides in New York, and splits her time between Long Island and New York City.

http://ThePottersCast.com/945

Jacques Monneraud is a studio potter based in the south west region of France. Jacques' wheel-thrown objects are mainly functional. Jacques has discovered ceramics a little over two years ago at the time of this post and has done everything to pursue the dream of becoming a ceramist ever since. Potters and neophytes can follow his journey on Instagram, where he documents his day by day evolution in the field.

http://ThePottersCast.com/944

Carly Slade grew up in "Big sky" Alberta, Canada. Carly's work is influenced by her blue-collar roots and plagued by a concern for the precarious nature of the working class. Using a mix of materials (most often including clay, embroidery, and building supplies), Carly creates dioramas of real places in an unreal perspective. Carly received her MFA from San Jose State University and her BFA from the Alberta University of the Arts. Carly is currently an Assistant Professor and Area Head at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in Arcata, CA, USA.

http://ThePottersCast.com/943

Kieu Tran was born in Can Tho, Vietnam and is a first generation Vietnamese American artist based in Oakland, California. Kieu  creates elegant, sensuous, biomorphic ceramic sculptures that meditate on love, connection and belonging. Her sculptural practice spans across ceramic, wood, marble and bronze. For studies, Kieu obtained a bachelor's degree in art history from UCLA and studied art while living in Italy and Germany. In 2014, Kieu followed an intriguing pull to Silicon Valley where she learned to code in 2014 and soon after became a full time software engineer. On a parallel path, she also developed a serious ceramic art practice. Immersing in the two practices side-by-side, Kieu eventually realized that she was always meant to be an artist. In January of 2021, Kieu left tech to pursue her passion of becoming a full time artist. Her ceramic sculptures have since been received with excitement and she has cultivated a growing following of enthusiastic collectors worldwide.

http://ThePottersCast.com/942

Sue Pryke's work is concerned with functionality and the exploration of tactile surfaces to create tableware. Sue uses slip casting as a vehicle to produce domestic ware which is a nod to an industrial method of making, but use it in a craft setting to make pared-back contemporary ware that industry would find difficult to produce. Sue is inspired by the everyday and the ordinary, tactility and utility, material qualities, and the interaction we have with objects. Small details and preferences which reflect the intuitive decision making we all make on a daily basis when choosing what cup to take from the cupboard for a cup of tea.

Micah Schedler started his pottery journey with a simple desire to learn a skill and improve. As his skills grew and his hands got smarter, Micah started to care deeply about making "nice" pots; pots that are functionally sound with good proportions and surrounding all of those things, beautiful pots. Surrounded by incredible makers in Minnesota, Micah is lucky to land in such a rich pottery tradition rooted in functional and honest pottery. Now Micah is trying to make his own pots informed by that tradition. Right now Micah makes his wares in a renovated two car garage. He uses dark stoneware covered in white slip which helps to create some visual depth in an electric kiln. The slip brings folks into those moments of making with finger marks, drips and swipes. Joy permeates his work. Micah and his partner Emma have two small kids and live in Minnesota. He works 3 days as a Registered Nurse,  a potter 2 days a week, and a tired, happy dad 7 days a week. 

http://ThePottersCast.com/940

Eliana E. Rodriguez is a Latina artist of color who creates pottery, prints and illustrations. Eliana has served as a Studio Assistant at the Penland School of Craft, and is a Speedball Demo Artist. Eliana has a clay and printmaking studio in Asheville, NC where she continues to make work.

http://ThePottersCast.com/939

Lisa Orr is a professional potter and has been a student of ceramics for more than 40 years. After completing her MFA in 1992 at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, she received a Fulbright and an MAAA/NEA grant to continue her studies. Her work is shown in numerous public and private collections including the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, and the permanent collection of WOCEF in Korea. A full-time studio potter, she also teaches, lectures, and shows nationally and internationally.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1046

Amy Song is a ceramic artist working in Plainfield, IL. Amy holds a BA in studio art and ceramics from Hope College and fell in love with wood firing at Waubonsee Community College in 2013. In 2018, Amy founded River Song Pottery in Plano, IL. Since then, River Song has hosted its first workshops bringing nationally known potters to the area and is excited to be spreading the love of wood firing in the greater Chicago area. Amy is the lead organizer of the Northern IL Pottery tour, which was launched to celebrate and lift up the incredible work being created in the area.

http://ThePottersCast.com/938

Benjamin Cahoon is a ceramic artist and arts administrator based near Portland Oregon. While managing a studio and working in social media consulting/content creation, Benjamin has been professionally practicing art for over 10 years and teaching for 7. Benjamin's practice contains atmospheric firing, large scale installations, conceptual sculpture, and illustration.

http://ThePottersCast.com/937

Marissa Childers earned her BFA from the University of North Alabama, worked as a ceramic intern at Anderson Ranch Art Center, and completed her MFA at the University of Oklahoma. Marissa was an NCECA graduate fellowship recipient in 2020 and was chosen as one of Ceramics Monthly's Emerging Artists of 2022.

http://ThePottersCast.com/936

Adam Meistrell was born and raised in Naples, Florida. Adam's first memories are of making art and traveling. After graduating from Penn State, Adam spent a few years seeking out adventure: driving to Alaska, jumping off cliffs in Italy, and surfing in Costa Rica. Adam earned his MFA from The Louisiana State University.

http://ThePottersCast.com/935

Since leaving Camberwell College of Art in 1998 Justine Allison has been primarily working with hand-built porcelain. Justine's work addresses the boundaries between function and decoration. Form is paramount; function is a driving motivation, but it is the aesthetics of a piece that are key to Justine's making. The early influences from London; buildings, windows, streets and sounds remain with Justine although living in rural Wales.

Robin Turnage is the host of the podcast, Potters of Color 2.0! Having been a listener of show, I was so excited to finally meet Robin in Cincinnati at NCECA. We sat down at the convention center in the food court area and had this conversation while conference goers were eating lunch all around us.

http://ThePottersCast.com/933

Taiyaba Ahmed is a Multicultural Fellow for NCECA. I am so thankful I got to meet Taiyaba while I was at NCECA and we decided to meet at a coffee shop first thing in the morning... 7:30! The sun wasn't even up yet! So we were a little groggy. A tea and coffee and a light pastry came to the rescue to give us the energy to have a coherent conversation. Taiyaba is our first guest from Pakistan and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.

http://ThePottersCast.com/932

Ben Clark is the co-owner of Queen City Clay in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ben isn't the founder of Queen City, but he is the buyer. In this conversation we talk about his journey with ceramics, Queen City Clay, and business ownership

http://ThePottersCast.com/931

Many wonderful things happen at NCECA! One of the events that is so amazing is the student pottery throwing contest that is sponsored by Skutt. Students compete for 3 days and the winner of each day wins $100 and then the three winners pieces are judged for the grand winner. The grand place winner is awarded a potters wheel. And Michelle Gawedzki was the grand prize winner! 

http://ThePottersCast.com/930

Brandon Christy is a studio potter living and working in Berea, KY. Brandon received his BFA in Ceramics from Western Kentucky University in 2002. After a 14-year hiatus from clay he started Bark Camp Pottery in 2016. Now Brandon makes intricately decorated wheel thrown handmade pottery.

http://ThePottersCast.com/929

Shannon Hogarty, a New York native, is a ceramic artist living and working in Austin, Texas. Shannon's work combines traditional techniques with contemporary designs, featuring unique surface decoration and vibrant glaze combinations. Shannon is especially passionate about atmospheric firing techniques, with a particular focus on wood firings.
Shannon contributes to the to the Austin arts community through her roles as an educator, studio assistant, and artist in residence.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1045

NCECA 2023 was a great year for the conference. It felt like the "good o' days" of pre-covid conferences. And one of the things I really love about NCECA are the PopUps that occur that are sponsored by various potters. The events are always magnetic and full of great people and pots. This year was no different. I wasn't able to make it to all the PopUps, but these were two excellent examples. Though the PopUps were pre-planned, these interviews were not. I showed up unannounced, pulled out my mic, and started asking questions.

http://ThePottersCast.com/928

When I was at NCECA a few weeks ago I was given the honor of interviewing Rebecca Ickes Carra of The Maker's Playbook. In this conversation we talked about finding and keeping customers. Rebecca is a brilliant entrepreneur and has some amazing advice to share.

http://ThePottersCast.com/927

Cam Waller is a Japan-based, Black American ceramicist interested in using craft and natural materials to subvert expectations and explore various themes, including communication, identity, and value systems. Cam received their MFA in Ceramics at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2022 and is currently pursuing their Ph.D.

http://ThePottersCast.com/926

Alex Olson makes pottery and works as a freelance photographer in Brooklyn, New York. Alex fires most of his faceted and textured functional pots in wood and soda kilns. Alex studied studio art at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he focused on ceramics, photography, and woodworking.

http://ThePottersCast.com/925

Matt Robinson's love of yoga leads to his introduction to clay. A friend and fellow yogi (who has a BFA in ceramics) teaches wheel-throwing classes at a local community studio. After hearing her mention it off-hand at the yoga studio over the years, Matt was finally intrigued enough to give it a shot in 2019. It was love at first spin! A few years later, now with a tiny basement laundry room/pottery studio combo, Matt still finds ceramics just as intriguing and delightful.

http://ThePottersCast.com/924

Julie Harbers is an Orlando, FL based potter who splits her time between two community studios as a teacher and staff member, and her own backyard home studio. Julie makes functional ware with colorful surface designs using colored slips, underglazes, and glazes.

http://ThePottersCast.com/923

Andy Ward hand builds pottery from natural materials using primitive tools. Andy personally gathers and processes all the raw materials he uses for his pottery. Andy's work is a product of the earth, a piece of the Southwest desert, inspired by the ancient potters who came before.

http://ThePottersCast.com/922

Sherród Faulks creates beautiful things that help you cultivate moments of joy, connection, and love. DEEP BLACK is a modern minimal home décor brand where functionality and intention are at the heart of every handmade piece. Here, beauty reigns supreme. Catch Sherród in The NY Times, Great Jones, Business of Home, and more.

http://ThePottersCast.com/921

Claire Ireland produces elegant hand-built sculptural forms on different scales - collectable objects, inspired by her studio's location in the grounds of a historical steam museum in London UK . Claire's working practice as a ceramic sculptor is changing and is drawn to a more minimal and reductive strategy, simplifying structures, but constantly enhancing and developing the surface.

http://ThePottersCast.com/920

Lexie Lynn Burke is a painter turned potter. Lexie is adding a little artwork to functional mugs to help people to enjoy their mornings just a little better. Inspired by what she sees from day to day (especially pop culture) and often mug illustrations change with the seasons, Lexie's portraits are her favorite challenge. Lexie also loves an illustration with a black outline to make it pop. Lexie rarely repeats an illustrations, so every piece is unique. Works full time as a senior accountant, Lexie pursues her passion on the side.

http://ThePottersCast.com/919

Asha Serra is a mother to three very cool kids, a wife, and an artist. Her love for clay started in high school, but she didn't take it seriously until she was well into college. Asha received a BFA and a MFA in ceramics from Montclair State University. Soon after graduating, she became an adjunct professor of ceramics at MSU. After teaching for 4-5 years, she decided to grow her family. Currently, she is juggling motherhood, teaching private lessons at her home, and working on her own art.

http://ThePottersCast.com/1044

Lea Sagman is a translator and a potter. While on a vacation to Greece Lea, her husband, and friends, each said what he would like to do after retirement - Lea's dream was to become a potter. Two years passed before she took the first pottery class and was immediately hooked. What started as a hobby gradually became an important part of Lea's life. Pottery is at times comforting, at times frustrating, at times therapy – always fulfilling.

http://ThePottersCast.com/918

Adero Wllard is originally from New York City and currently lives in Chicopee, MA. Adero received a BFA at Alfred University an MFA at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and was a Salad Days artist in resident at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Maine. Adero has over twenty-five years as a ceramics artist and has been featured in a number of discussion panels, publications, books on ceramics, and has exhibited work nationally and internationally. Adero is committed to equity and inclusion work, and while a visiting assistant professor in ceramics has been a faculty co-facilitator for IDEA lab an anti-racism and anti-bias program at Alfred university. Adero is a co-founder of the non-profit outreach organization POW! Pots on Wheels since 2014 and is committed to diversity and anti-hierarchical approaches to teaching in the field of ceramics. For Adero it is all about a love for clay, nature, community, history and learning and sharing knowledge of the handmade with others.

http://ThePottersCast.com/917

Brett Wulc is a studio potter from Portland, OR. Brett has been working with clay for 14 years and has always had a focus on wheel thrown pots. Throwing functional dinner ware and filming is his process all along the way.

http://ThePottersCast.com/916