Working predominately in English porcelain (a white clay that becomes translucent after firing), Dana Bechert hand throws her pots in her Lancaster, PA, studio. Before the pieces are fired, she coats them in a black slip and draws her intricate patterns freehand with a carving tool. Her inspiration stems from the historical crafts of American pieced quilts, Native American pottery, Islamic tile and wood parquetry. danabechert.com.
Using traditional Italian techniques, glass is blown by hand in Tracy Glover’s Pawtucket, RI, studio. Her training was solidified at RISD and Dale Chihuly’s Pilchuck School, where she was mentored by Venetian masters. Glover delights in the physicality of the process and the prismatic meeting of light and faceted glass. Her Ribbon cups are hand-blown in a variety of colors—no two are exactly alike due to the nature of the process. tracygloverstudio.com.
Born and raised in Johannesburg, Lauren Kaplan’s African roots remain a powerful force behind her work. Her Sole e Luna series represents the pull of the sun and the moon. Building the bowl shape and adding the intricate details takes time and patience, according to Kaplan, who finds the process therapeutic. Working in porcelain and stoneware, and experimenting with tone and texture, Kaplan is well versed in many ancient ceramic techniques, including Raku. Available through Bungalow, bungalowdecor.com, laurenkaplanceramics.com.
From humble beginnings, Hammerton lighting, founded in a garage in 1995, has grown over the years to a 40,000-square-foot facility in Salt Lake City. But the bigger size hasn’t changed the company’s reverence for time-honored craftsmanship and authentic materials. Hammerton’s artisans create bespoke fixtures, like the Blossom Oval Starburst shown here, in hand-blown, cast and kiln-fused glass. hammertonstudio.com.
Finding beauty in imperfection, Dana Brandwein of DBO Home admits that things don’t always turn out as planned. The glaze on her porcelain Battuto platter wasn’t adhering the way she wanted it to. Brandwein enlisted the help of master gilder and Litchfield County neighbor Carol Leskanic, who applied an oil gild in 12k white gold to emphasize and enhance the uneven texture. dbohome.com.
Kiara Matos’ Venezuelan upbringing is evident in the strong, tropical colors and botanical references of her work. She uses a wide palette of glazes, juxtaposing contrasting colors (using a masking tape technique to achieve sharp lines) and textures. Her method is also varied: She alternates between working the clay on a potter’s wheel and building shapes by hand in her New Haven studio. kiaramatos.com.
Chiang dives into a single theme each year, bringing his cumulative knowledge to the present challenge. This year, his design series focused on circles. Forming the pure shape at the wheel, the master lets the clay become the teacher. Chiang collaborated with expert glazer Winnie Crittenden on these one-of-a-kind bud vases, exploring the alchemy and art of glaze. heathceramics.com.
A centrifuge technique is used to create the textural ridges of Simon Pearce’s Thetford platter. The mold is designed, then cast in plaster, then cast in iron at a local forge. Molten glass is dropped into the mold and the centrifugal wheel forces the molten glass into the crevices. simonpearce.com.
Andrew Shaffer and Emma Walters met in Hudson Valley by way of their passion for glassblowing and joined forces, establishing Hunee Studio. The company name stems from the state of molten glass, which resembles honey. They design and create each piece by hand, celebrating the subtle variations and unique qualities that are inherent in the glassblowing process. The Chanterelle vessels, shown here in a diaphanous pearl color, start as molten glass, which is inflated to form the shape. The edges are then sculpted while the glass is still in a semi-viscous state to resemble the unfurling motion of fungi. huneestudio.com.
Brooklyn artist Michele Quan, of MQuan Studio, loves the raw and spontaneous impression of fingers in clay. Her disc curtain came to be partly by process and partly by accident. Pinching and playing with leftover clay, she formed the discs and experimented with stringing them together with knotted rope. Available through Fair, NYDC, or mquan.com.
Blurring the lines of fine art and craft, Jocelyn Braxton Armstrong’s practice includes sculptural and conceptual pieces. The shape of the calligraphic vessels, shown here, is derived from the Korean moon jar. The cobalt underglaze is applied in a stroke and splatter calligraphic manner and finished with a glossy clear glaze. Each piece is made in her Bridgeport studio, stamped with the maker’s mark, and includes a delightful surprise hidden under the base. Available through Chairish, chairish.com, or jocelynbraxtonarmstrong.com.
Juliska’s mouth-blown Bohemian glass is fashioned in the hills outside of Prague by master glassblowers. Each artisan must have a minimum of 10 years of training to achieve the skills required to bring the glass to life. The Amalia hurricane features the brand’s iconic spiral threaded design accented with a signature berry motif. juliska.com.