You haven’t seen work quite like this! Introducing Cfile’s 10 Potters You Gotta Know: Pop-Up Shop.
Devyn Vasquez
“Developing compositions that exist within the grey area between functionality and its counterpart, initial perceptions and the inherent values associated with the materials I utilize are challenged.”
Devyn Vasquez is an artist who primarily works in ceramics and jewelry. She spent most of her years growing up in North Carolina, where she attended Appalachian State and received degrees in Fine Art and Art Management. Since graduating, she assisted a metalsmith until attending the Fall 2016 Ceramics Concentration at Penland School of Crafts under scholarship. She recently returned to her hometown of Miami, Florida where she works, teaches, and maintains a studio practice.
Devyn Vasquez utilizes handbuilding, slip inlay, and slipcasting techniques in her ceramic work. She is interested in creating still lifes and compositions that are based off of repetitive and modular forms.
Lean Mug Set by Devyn Vasquez. Click to Shop!
Nick Weddell
Born in Austin, Texas, Nick Weddell received a BFA from Texas State University in 2016 and is currently pursuing his MFA at the NYSCC at Alfred University. Prior to entering graduate school, he was a postbaccalaureate student at Alfred University.
Alien Egg Sack Cup by Nick Weddell. Click to shop!
Avi Farber
Flask 1 by Avi Farber. Click to shop!
Numpusch
“Clay keeps me calm and excited at the same time. Ceramics is a medium that I use to express my perception of our twisted world. I’m inspired by everything whether I am aware of it or not. Humor and weirdness are always finding their way into my ceramic sculptures. I enjoy hand building at every stage of the process because I want to feel every part of it. That’s the way that I could make sure that I had given their life.”
Chanakarn Semachai (Numpucsh), was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. Numpucsh graduated in 2012 with her Bachelors in Art from Chulalongkorn University located in the heart of Bangkok City, the capital of Thailand. She is currently an MFA candidate at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, predicted to graduate in 2019.
Rose Yunomi by Numpusch. Click to Shop!
Ashley Bevington
“Dogs have always been an important symbol in my work. My father used to breed puppies to sell. The dogs used for breeding were always chained up outside. As a child, I noticed that their only interaction with humans was when my father would feed and water them once a day. I felt guilty, so I began to chain myself up with them and pretend to be a dog. This is my first memory of empathy.”
Ashley Bevington (b. 1990) grew up in the rural land of Nashville, Ohio. Bevington graduated with her BFA from Columbus College of Art & Design (OH) in 2014, & her MFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (PA) in 2017. She has received awards and widely participated in shows and residencies across the country.
Black Mist Poodle Confetti Mug by Ashley Bevington. Click to shop!
Elisa Helland-Hansen
Elisa Helland-Hansen is NYC-born, Norway-based potter who works primarily with stoneware and porcelain. Her first introduction to clay at Kunsthøjskolen in 1972. In the 1970s, the establishment of new public grant programs for crafters in Norway and the right to negotiate with the government resulted in studio crafts becoming a clearly defined field. She is currently based in Rosendal, Norway.
Garth Clark frequently refers to these B&W cups as “The Perfect Cup.”
“I have been running my own business as a potter since 1978. I work full time in the studio, but the hours spent increase beyond full time ahead of upcoming exhibitions. My schedule varies—for the time being I often go fishing in the morning and work in the afternoon and evenings—sometimes past midnight (a regret to my husband). I have no side jobs, but worked as a professor in ceramics from 2000–05 at HDK (School of Design and Crafts) in Gothenburg, Sweden.”
B&W Cup by Elisa Helland-Hansen. Click to shop!
Stepanka Horalkova
Always trusting her intuition, Stepanka knew from an early age she had to follow any dream she had. This motivated her to move from her small town in the Czech Republic to Prague as a teenager, and then to New York City five years later (where she currently lives). Her new life in America prompted her to pursue something she has always loved- Ceramics. Energized and inspired by the world and the people around her, Stephanka’s work echoes her determination, generosity, and curiosity. With clean forms, classic colors, and playful designs, Stepanka’s work embraces the milieu between playful and sculptural.
Textured Porcelain Crumple Cup 3 by Stepanka Horalkova. Click to shop!
Joanna Powell
“My work lives in this twilight zone between painting and sculpture. I am continually searching for this sensation of something coming into focus. The objects I create are colloquialisms of my own making that reference ancient and current civilization. I believe an object can anchor the values of a culture acting as an artifact of its time. I question beauty with the artifacts I create.”
Joanna Powell (b. 1981, Dallas, TX) holds and MFA from The University of Colorado, Boulder and a BFA from The University of North Texas in Denton. She has exhibited widely across the United States. Currently she lives in Helena, Montana and is a full time studio artist and traveling lecturer.
Pitcher 7 by Joanna Powell. Click to shop!
Brett Freund
“When working I think about my own definitions of preciousness and value. How does an object qualify itself as being important? Is what I’m after rare like a diamond, does it take time to grow like a crystal or is it a symbol that references a status or identity? Most importantly, how can I scrutinize hierarchies without undermining the possibility of growing in my craft?”
Gem Cup by Brett Freund. Click to shop!
Brett Freund use all techniques to best give him the form he wants including slaps, thrown vessels, cut chunks of clay, and 3d printed clay. After being invited to participate in the American Pottery Festival at Northern Clay Center in 2015 Brett Freund moved to Minneapolis where he currently lives and makes work.
Brent Pafford
“The work I create is a reaction to the time in which it is being created, reminiscent of objects that have been passed down to me, that I cherish and value. I create contemporary heirlooms: counterpoints to disposability, utilitarian objects imbued with touch and labor, time and energy. They patiently wait to be discovered and enjoyed, retained and passed on.”
Originally from Rock Hill, South Carolina Brent Pafford grew up on a family farm. He earned an Associates Degree specializing in 3D animation and digital effects in 2008 then furthered his interests at Winthrop University, concentrating in Sculpture and Ceramics. Working in the organic grocery industry for a number of years allowed Brent witness people’s interaction and relationships developed over nutrients imbibed to sustain life. He became interested functional ceramics due to the relationships forged between maker, object, and user. Brent continued his education by completing his MFA at Clemson University in 2014.
POPJCT Cup by Brett Pafford. Click to shop!
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