About Me

I was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, in an environment steeped in art, and moved to the States as a teenager.  My first brush with clay was by chance, after university, and it was love at first touch.  I was in Japan teaching English, and after finishing my contract, I  began a very traditional apprenticeship in the ceramic town of Mashiko. That was my first exposure to firing traditional Japanese style wood burning kilns, and I was hooked!  After two years in Japan, I continued to learn in California via apprenticeships with studio potter Otto Heino and ceramic sculptor Paul Soldner. I started participating in wood firings throughout northern California, and assisting workshops at Penland School in North Carolina and at the Penryn Workshop, in California. Various workshops and Artist residencies, such as that at the Cider Creek Collective in Mendocino, have enabled me to augment my artistic vocabulary and to collaborate with other artists.  The years working with clay have been filled with many rich experiences; the most recent being my return to Japan to participate in a month long workshop and firing of a traditional Anagama kiln.  

 My passion lies in throwing functional work, as well as hand building sculptural and ritual objects.  I suppose my style reflects both Japanese and European sensibilities, as I am drawn to a somewhat muted palette and rustic, textural quality that beckons to be touched. The relationship that develops between the object and the person who uses it, sometimes daily, is what gives meaning to me as the creator.  Something as simple as a favorite coffee mug, an elegant tea pot and cup set, or that special flower vase, can elevate the seemingly mundane to a ritual of beauty and appreciation.

 My home and studio is in the rural outskirts of Grass Valley.  In this natural setting, I make my work, mix all my glazes from raw materials, and fire my electric and gas kilns. Over the years I have taught wheel throwing to many adults and children, and hosted workshops with visiting artists.  Clay and fire are what feed my passion, and being able to share that passion with so many friends, and strangers, is what feeds my creativity.  Please find me on IG @saskiaceramics.