ABOUT
About Laurie,
Laurie Caffery is a ceramic artist and illustrator. She grew up in Boone, North Carolina, a small town surrounded by the peaks and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Encouraged by my creative parents, she spent her childhood enthusiastically exploring different mediums, primarily painting and drawing.
Laurie received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art with an emphasis in ceramics from Appalachian State University in 2014. Since then, she has continued to embrace every opportunity to progress her craft.
Her artwork is exhibited and collected nationally and internationally. Laurie creates her narrative-driven, decorative ceramics from her studio in Asheville, North Carolina. When she isn’t making art, she’s probably spending time outside with her husband, son, and dogs.
About the artwork,
Having grown up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I learned to associate the peaks and valleys with my father, who taught me the names of the bright blue ranges and how to find healing in the landscape. My mother, a painter, encouraged me to pursue drawing as a guiding tool through the anxiety I experienced as a child. These grounding practices of spending time outdoors and working with my hands were gifted to me by my family. Today they manifest themselves in my work.
My illustrations draw from personal experiences; my home, popular culture, and nostalgia. I explore concepts of whimsy through playful narratives of reality and imagination. By using functional ceramics as a vehicle, I strive to elicit comfort, joy and sentimentality. I want the user to feel as if they could jump within one of my scenes and be right at home.
About the process,
Decorating is easily the most time consuming part of my process as well as the most rewarding; I can easily spend hours illustrating a single piece.
My drawings are inlaid into the surface of each piece. What does that mean when we're talking about clay?
Essentially, each illustration begins with a formed piece of pottery that is still wet, about the consistency of cheese. The drawing is carefully carved into the surface with a thin knife.
Once the illustration is complete, the piece needs to sit for a few days to dry. Once it's completely dry, I will apply black liquid clay and wipe it away. This will inlay the drawings into the surface.
The pieces are then fired in my kiln, painted and glazed by hand, and fired again.