MARI EMORI
President
About Mari Emori
Statement: My “Drop Series” is inspired by nature, capturing both its beauty and raw, destructive power. A single drop symbolizes life and the environment, reflecting our deep connection to the natural world. When not in the studio, I enjoy hiking and exploring, drawing inspiration from the intricate details of the world around me.
Visit Mari:
website: https://berkeleypotters.com/artist/mari-emori
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emoriceramics/
BRITT JENSEN
Secretary / Festival Jury
About Britt Jensen
Studio Location: San Jose
Statement: Britt Jensen is a California-based artist who explores form and function through both utilitarian ceramics and conceptual sculpture. Her work leverages her background in product design to create forms intended to bring thoughtful functionality and everyday delight to users. She finds inspiration in the constraints of clay and the design ethos “form follows function.”
Visit Britt:
URL: https://www.brittmariestudio.com/
Instagram: @brittmarie.studio
JULIE TABER
Treasurer
About Julie Taber
Studio Location: Altadena
Statement: Julie has been working in clay for over 15 years. In the 80’s, she attended Northern Illinois University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, focusing on painting and art history. However, she didn’t find her love for clay until after her kids were grown. Julie’s style is eclectic and whimsical. Her work is moving in a more sculptural direction, although she does enjoy making some functional pieces. She is influenced by the world around her, especially when she is on hikes.
Visit Julie:
Website: https://julesartgarden.com/
Instagram: @julesartgarden
SEAN FREE ALCALA
Festival
About Sean Free Alcala
Studio Location: Salida
Statement: My work is a constant dialog with the natural world, spoken through the language of glass. This magical medium allows me to express my visions of color, movement, depth, and texture. But often this material has a unique voice of itself that I am simply lucky enough to capture.
Visit Sean:
Website: https://alcaladesigns.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alcaladesigns
PIERRE BOUNAUD
Exhibitions
About Pierre Bounaud
Studio Location: San Diego
Statement: Pierre Bounaud is a ceramic artist whose work is a testament to the transformative power of art and science. Born in the picturesque Provence region of France, Pierre’s academic pursuit in chemistry was overtaken by his passion for ceramics. He approaches his creations with the precision of a scientist and the soul of an artist, drawing inspiration from the subtle elements that compose our world.
Visit Pierre:
website: www.pierrebounaud.com
instagram: @pierrebounaudceramics
PIPER CHRISTINE
Festival Treasurer
About Piper Christine
Studio Location: Berkeley
Statement: I salvage rejected ceramic materials and turn them into intriguing functional objects. The fact that clay and glaze are essentially a conglomeration of minerals fascinates me, and I focus on how a potter’s wheel and a kiln can be used to turn these rudimentary materials into something compelling and perfect.
Visit Piper:
Website: www.thermotrope.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thermotrope
CHERYL COSTANTINI
Communications / Festival
About Cheryl Costantini
Studio Location: Sebastopol
Statement: Cheryl and Mikio have been full-time studio potters since 1985. Prior to that, Cheryl apprenticed at 3 different potteries in Japan from 1979 to 1985. Their work is truly their own and some say you can spot a Nichibei pot from across the room.
Visit Cheryl:
Website: Website: nichibeipotters.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichibeipotters/
TAMARA DANOYAN
Festival Jury Coordinator
About Tamara Danoyan
Studio Location: Mountain View
Statement: I believe in a dialog with clay, in listening for what it would like to express on any given day. All of my pieces are unique for a simple reason that no two conversations are ever the same. Handbuilding to me holds a world of possibilities when it comes to shapes, textures, and treatment of edges. I prefer a small scale and love making sculptural vessels. Some of those are currently evolving into miniature sculptures.
Visit Tamara:
Website https://www.tomaterraceramics.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamaradanoyan/
VICKI GUNTER
Exhibitions Lead
About Vicki Gunter
StStudio Location: Oakland
Statement: Clay has memory. It records your fingerprints and the ways you held it in your hands. Our earth has a memory and responds to our manipulations. My work in clay draws from the knowledge that everything…us, our food, home, clothes, tools, toys all come from the ‘clay’ of the earth. My hope is, that we will seek solutions in nature-based knowledge to grow, gather, love and consume with justice for all. Leaving the smallest fingerprint. Inspired by its no-waste complexity, nature is my source and anchor, in wild places and my home-studio in East Oakland. I value clay’s infinite potential − mirroring our own.
Visit Vicki:
Website https://vickigunter.com
Instagram: @vickigunter
IVER HENNIG
Exhibitions
About Iver Hennig
Studio Location: Boulder Creek
Statement: I am a ceramic artist and educator living in the Santa Cruz Mountains. My work consists of wheel thrown and hand sculpted pieces using themes of animals combined with mechanical oddities.
Visit Iver:
Website: https://www.iverhennig.com/
Instagram: @iver_hennig_ceramics
CHRIS JOHNSON
Glass Ambassador
About Chris Johnson
Studio Location: Davenport
Statement: Glass is a mystery. blowing is like a frantic meditation requiring total focus and utter detachment. No wonder I can’t get it right. I will keep trying.
Visit Chris:
Website: https://www.chrisjohnsonglass.com
Instagram site: https://www.instagram.com/chrisjohnsonglass/
REN LEE
Communications Lead
About Ren Lee
Studio Location: Fresno
Statement: San Joaquin Valley clay artist, exploring clay horizons and making lots of imperfectly provocative handbuilt sculpture objects with a side objective of exploring wide ranging techniques for the purpose of building a catalog of teaching tools. I joined the board to expand my community’s involvement/awareness in the ACGA and vice-versa. My studio is @clayhandstudios in Fresno and I love critters, home cooking, and good books.
Visit Ren:
Website https://www.instagram.com/renleestudio/
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/renleestudio
LEE MIDDLEMAN
Festival Committee
About Lee Middleman
Studio Location: Portola Valley
Statement: I throw classic forms and use surface textures to give them energy and vitality, resulting in art that is both pleasing and alive. I seek to create patterns and textures that emphasize the organic interplay between order and randomness as found in Nature.
Visit Lee:
Website: http://www.LeeMiddleman.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lee.middleman/
BARBARA PRODANIUK
Festival Committee
About Barbara Prodaniuk
Studio Location: Truckee
Statement: My current work includes ceramic sculptures, wall pieces, and functional pottery using wheel-thrown and slab construction techniques. Sculptural pieces may include some mixed media elements. I draw inspiration from daily life and the abundance of natural forms around me. I am a full-time potter living and working in Truckee, Ca since 1981.
Visit Barbara:
Website: https://bgppottery.com/
Instagram: @bgprodaniuk
SUSIE RUBENSTEIN
Communications
About Susie Rubenstein
Studio Location: San Juan Capistrano
Statement: I am a potter working in porcelain making ware that defines and enlivens daily our routines. The challenge, objective and adventure are to make spirited and beautiful pieces for daily use.
Visit Susie:
Website: https://www.susierubenstein.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susie_rubenstein/
JAN SCHACHTER
Exhibitions Coordinator
About Jan Schachter
Studio Location: Portola Valley
Statement: I enjoy making pots for everyday use; each is a subtle variation of a form – usually created in a series. I am a perfectionist (as much as the process allows) and am constantly in search of the perfect surface and ideal form while striving to create pots that have life and vitality.
Visit Jan:
Website: http://www.janschachter.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janschachter/
HALEY TESSLER
Board Member
About Haley Tessler
Studio Location: San Francisco
Statement: I have been doing art for my whole life and began my ceramics journey about 10 years ago. The tactile nature and seemingly unlimited possibilities of the medium got me hooked immediately and I’ve been working in clay non stop ever since. I mainly work in porcelain and glaze my work using various layering techniques that create dynamic surfaces in a soda kiln. I am immensely grateful to be a part of the Bay Area ceramics community and the ACGA.
Visit Haley:
Haleytesslerceramics.com
Instagram: @htceramics_
EMIL YANOS
Membership Coordinator
About Emil Yanos
Studio Location: San Francisco
Statement: Ceramic Sculptor Emil Yanos has been working with clay since 1993. Through experimentation, he has found that working with clay provides an excellent opportunity to explore color and texture. Emil’s goal is to communicate meaning, extending beyond the visual form to encourage an emotional response.
Visit Emil:
Website: https://www.emilyanosdesign.com/
Instagram: @emilyanosdesign
APRIL ZILBER
Festival Liaison
About April Zilber
Studio Location: Felton
Statement: Intrigued by the interaction of light with transparent/translucent media such as water, glass, and stone, I am inspired by patterns and images found in wild and tended places.
Visit April:
Website: https://zilberglass.blogspot.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprilzilberglass/
