Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Lina Alvarez | Episode 256
Lina Alvarez was drawn to art at an early age. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2006, Lina graduated from the University of Georgia, where she taught art to children at Lyndon House Arts Center and earned her BA in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramics. Originally from Medellin, Colombia, Lina’s art is a hybrid of cultures and embodies many qualities—some pieces may be precise and simple, while others are loose and organically shaped. Lina currently focuses on chic and functional utilitarian pottery, which is available inside Good Dirt LA’s artist shop and on Etsy. Lina believes in cultivating creativity and encourages her students to leave their expectations behind. “The creating and making processes are truly therapeutic and enjoyable for me,” she says. “But nothing brings me more joy than knowing that others actually use my work as part of their daily routines. It’s that tea they have before bedtime, or the coffee that helps them start the day. It’s like I’m passing along a little bit of my love to them, since I feel that each of my pieces were created with the most loving of intentions.”
Elizabeth b. Borowsky is a ceramic artist living and working in the beautiful countryside of South Carolina. She received a BFA from Clemson University with an emphasis in sculpture. She launched Elizabeth b. Ceramics in 2014. Her work is elegant, functional, and often carved or pierced with clean, graceful lines.
Tim Kowalczyk did his undergrad at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and majored in Art Education and Ceramics, with a minor Art History. Tim took a year off before attending Illinois State University for Tim’s MFA in Ceramics. In 2011 Tim graduated and moved to a small town 30 minutes north of Normal called Minonk, which is where Tim lives and works.
Helen Levi grew up in the East Village of New York City. Helen’s first encounter with clay was as a young child in an after school event. For college she studied photography which became a great compliment to her work as a ceramicist. As an adult she did a number of part-times jobs to make a living as an artist living in New York and teaching pottery classes was one of them. Helen set up her own studio where she makes beautiful stoneware ceramics in Brooklyn.
Amy Fields was born and grew up in Buffalo, NY. Amy was introduced to clay when she was about 8 years old. She received her BFA from the NYSCC@Alfred University with a concentration in ceramics. Lured by the landscape, Amy eventually moved out to Portland, Oregon. Amy feels very lucky to have landed at Stark Street Studios among artists and potters that she admires.
Cindy Gibson is a wood fire/soda fire potter who hails from Ruston, Louisiana. She earned a BFA from Louisiana Tech University. After graduating she spent two years in Goshen, IN interning with several area potters. She recently moved to Brevard, NC to further her ceramic career. Her extraterrestrial body of work combines functional and sculptural elements into a short story about the effects we have in this universe. In addition, she creates exotic and domestic wooden earrings that you can use for pottery tools.
Born and raised in Columbus, GA Mollie took her first ceramics class in High School and from then on has had a passion for turning clay into functional items. While attending Auburn University she began to sell her pottery and then started Mollie Jenkins Pottery. Upon graduating with a BFA from Auburn in May 15’ Jenkins moved back to Columbus to focus on her business and in February she made the move to Nashville, TN where she has since been growing her business and pursuing pottery as a career.
Tallie Maughan is the Founder of Turning Earth, the open-access ceramics studio in Hoxton East London. Once a hobby-maker herself, now Tallie’s passion is to help new makers make their first steps in the craft – for business or for pleasure – and to support those that are ready to launch themselves into a full-time making career.
Keaton Skyles is a 29 year old ceramic artist and has been working with clay for 15 years. In 2010 Keaton earned his BA in psychology at Boise State University. In 2011 Keaton set up his own ceramic studio space. Keaton’s work ranges from raku and saggar to large stoneware forms and functional porcelain.
