JODY NOLAN CLAY

Jody Nolan Clay

I have been working in clay since 1971.   I learned how to make pots on the potter’s wheel at a small private studio in Tucson, Arizona.  Following 2 years at the University of Arizona, 1 semester in Mexico, 1.5 years at Washington University in St Louis, and three years living in Peru (where I co-owned a ceramics studio called El Pinguino), I settled in Evanston, IL working as a Ceramics Assistant at the Evanston Art Center in exchange for studio time, and then in my own private studio at the Midwest Clay Guild for 8 years.  

In 1988, I moved to Waukesha County, Wisconsin, and taught ceramics classes at Carroll College for about 6 years.   After my husband Joe and I opened our Natural Food Store “Good Harvest Market” in 2005, my studio moved to home garages and basements, and finally to my current location at Bryan Becker Clay Werks in Hartland.   From time to time, some of my pieces have appeared in “Ceramics Monthly” magazine and “Clay Times.”

Over the years, my work has morphed from thrown pots to pinched and coiled “gourds” to soft slab “spirit boxes. ”  I use a variety of surface treatments……oxides, glazes, terra sigilattas, slips, stains, etc., and a variety of firing techniques—whatever  is at my disposal at the time—electric kilns, pit/sawdust, gas kilns, raku. 

Having worked in this medium for over 40 years and explored limitless types of creative processes in clay, there are two predominant themes that permeate my work.    My time spent travelling in the Andes, absorbing the subtle nuances of Latin American history and culture, seems to appear, either intentionally or inadvertently, in the contours and content of my sculptures.   Just as prevalent is the never-ending influence of Mother Nature, whose mountains, gullies, brambles, stones and seeds, inspire both form and surface.

I invite you to take a look at my photo gallery. Works with an asterisk (*) are either for sale or commission. Email me for prices and other available sizes.