About

I have always found joy in working with my hands, whether the material is wood, fiber, metal, or clay. It was not until I was in college in the 80s that I learned how to throw pots, whiling away many hours in the University of Vermont Pottery Co-op. In 1993, after having moved to the Sierra foothills, I resumed the study of clay with Francesca Roveda, who not only helped me develop my skills, but also introduced me to the possibilities of making a living as a studio artist.

In 1995 my wife, Tina, and I started Sweetland Pottery, making pots in a little studio adjoining our home and taking them around to art fairs on the weekends. I did all of the wet clay work, while Tina glazed and fired the ware in electric kilns. In about 2001, after moving to a new location, a new gas kiln was built. At this time I took over all of the studio work, though Tina continues to support me, handling administrative tasks, bookkeeping, traveling to fairs with me, and sometimes assisting in kiln loading.

My current line of high-fired functional porcelain ware includes cups, bowls, teapots, storage jars, and various table items. Most pieces are made on the potters' wheel with subsequent altering techniques, and some pieces are constructed from clay slabs. The ware is fired to cone 10 (about 2300 degrees F) in a gas kiln. My glaze palette comprises a balance of matt, shiny, stiff, and fluid surfaces, which, when blended in various ways, create stormy, watery, or arid surface-scapes. Many of my pieces are distinguished by handles I make from manzanita twigs I gather on my land in the Sierra foothills. This softer wood element compliments the hardness of the ceramic forms.

I work to find a balance between precision and happenstance. I am also aiming for a fluidity of line and surface that porcelain lends itself so well to. The pottery reflects forms and textures in nature as well as qualities I have seen and admired in the creations of people. Values I strive for include simplicity, integrity, and beauty.

--Paul Steege