I’m a potter living in central NC. Appreciation for art began as a little girl growing up at 20 Shore Drive on Harbor Island. My Grandmother’s pottery wheel was in the sun-room overlooking our boathouse on Banks Channel. She loved all things creative, was the type of person to befriend everyone and became fast friends with Hiroshi Sueyoshi (a National Living Treasure & former Resident Artist at Cameron Art Museum). On one of his visits he brought her a wheel turned porcelain clam shell saying it had a flaw. I fell in love with pottery in that moment holding this “flaw” with an ocean wave swirl of blue and white porcelain, finding only perfection.

My junior year at Laney using a kick wheel for the first time was when pottery became fun! I felt exhilarated, like riding a bike and simultaneously making a cool bowl!! Fast forward a few years and I continued taking pottery classes at the Greensboro Cultural Center on Davie. I then worked in Seagrove for over 10 years firing electric kilns, copper red reduction and a 30’ wood/salt kiln. One of my more fun creations was an open mouth grizzly bear urinal for a new build near Blowing Rock.

Sea life and foliage have remained favorite design elements over the 20+ years I’ve been working with clay. Currently living in central NC I find so much joy in the little creeks, moss beds and ferns unfurling on the forest floor. And the magic of growing up on Harbor Island, exploring our little marsh and sandy beach, snorkeling under the floating dock, inside the boathouse, between piers in observation of this most amazing world, is definitely in my heart as it’s influence continues to be portrayed via my art. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about my progression as an artist. Thank you for sharing in my journey. And thank you for being a lover of creative expression.

All my best, Dawn