Overcoming Anxiety to Grow A Business | Miranda Trostle | Episode 949

Miranda Trostle | Episode 949

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.

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Making Connections With Art | Michal Karen Gelman | Episode 948

Michal Karen Gelman | Episode 948

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.

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World Building With Clay | Gabs Conway | Episode 947

Gabs Conway | Episode 947

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.

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Getting The Business Started | Tanner Gerstburger | Episode 946

Tanner Gerstburger | Episode 946

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.

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A Veteran Potter Tells Her Story | Bebe Federmann | Episode 945

Bebe Federmann | Episode 945

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.

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He Made An Escape Plan | Jacques Monneraud | Episode 944

Jacques Monneraud | Episode 944

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.

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A Voice For The Blue Collar | Carly Slade | Episode 943

Carly Slade | Episode 943

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.

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An Intentional Direction Full of Discovery | Kieu Tran | Episode 942

Kieu Tran | Episode 942

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.

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Contemporary Tableware | Sue Pryke | Episode 941

Sue Pryke | Episode 941

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.

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The Tetter Totter Approach | Micah Schedler | Episode 940

Micah Schedler | Episode 940

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.

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