Jessi Penrod
click thumbnail for larger view
Jessi is drawn to creating functional, utilitarian vessels that serve a purpose in daily life. The beauty of objects that we use every day comes from the experience they bring to our rituals: from their process of creation, to the way they are used and enjoyed in the home. Each piece is hand-thrown and trimmed on the Potter’s wheel, then hand painted and high-fired in a gas reduction. Jessi uses shino glazes or leaves on the outside surface of the clay raw to show the warmth and variation created from the reduction atmosphere in the kiln, giving the clay a rustic and organic appearance. The decorative surfaces are inspired by nature from her home in the White Mountains in Arizona and the high desert in New Mexico. Each piece acts as a canvas for objects that inspire memories of the things we enjoy in nature and the feelings and experiences they bring to our lives.