From her basement studio in Kingston, Susan Whelan creates one-of-a-kind ceramic art, including commissioned pieces for homes and important milestones. Whelan found clay in her fortieth year after studying fashion design, and her work often follows the medium’s transformation from wet earth to durable, colorful art. Hot Mud Studio began as a teaching pottery studio on 9-9-99 and has since become the home of Whelan’s individual practice, including her ongoing series inspired by the patterned bark of aspen trees.
Whitney Smith PotterySince discovering wheel throwing at Cabrillo College in 1994, ceramic artist Whitney Smith has built a full-time practice around making pottery in her Vallejo studio. Her work brings a painter’s eye to clay, with each piece receiving a distinctive, colorful surface shaped by hand rather than repeated from a fixed pattern. The result is functional pottery made to bring beauty into everyday life.NEW YORK, NY
DeLong CeramicsIn Williamsburg, Brooklyn, DeLong Ceramics makes hand-crafted ceramic art and gift pieces alongside printed collage artwork, all designed by Denise DeLong and her family. The studio’s work often turns New York City landmarks and everyday scenes into textured tiles, ornaments, coasters and signed collage prints, while custom tile projects have included public art for PS 398 Queens. Denise DeLong and Jon Elliott also share their ceramic knowledge through studio hand-building classes.BROOKLYN, NY
Bujno PotterySince 1991, Bujno Pottery in Adamstown has made embossed, personalized handmade stoneware, including its distinctive house crocks carved from customers’ photographs. The family-named business also creates one-of-a-kind pottery for everyday use, gifts, and commemorative fundraisers, with custom artwork developed for each project. Bujno describes its work as always handmade and hand decorated, and says the stoneware is made for durable use in the kitchen and home.ADAMSTOWN, PA
The Kind Earth WitchErika Anne is The Kind Earth Witch, a Bucks County, Pennsylvania potter who began working in clay during the pandemic in 2020. With a degree in anthropology and an interest in ceramics across cultures, she creates one-of-a-kind handmade pieces for people who want functional objects with a sense of history and ritual.