Beyond The Wheel

Through collaboration, individual expression, and a deep connection to their surroundings, these four gifted artists transform clay into beautiful, functional art. Join us as we explore their processes, inspirations, and what sets their work apart in the world of ceramics.

Fusing artistry and functionality, Steven and Louise Belmont-Skinner of BlackTree Studio Pottery, create unique, high-fired pieces that exemplify the beauty of handmade ceramics.

Tell us about your creative process.

Steven: My partner, Louise Belmont-Skinner, and I are trained fine artists, creating artful yet functional pottery that blends sculptural elements with everyday use. We operate the studio collaboratively, discussing concepts, designs, and business strategies on a daily basis. We prefer hand-building techniques, use home-mixed glazes, and operate a high-fire gas reduction kiln. In reference to our artful pottery, we always say, ​“We never learned what we shouldn’t do with clay.”

My pottery is influenced by my training as a fine artist (painting and printmaking) and the discipline and focus required when working with watercolor, as well as my fascination with the graphic elements of printmaking. I draw inspiration from sculpture, particularly handmade artifacts and shards from ancient cultures, and also natural forms found in the world around us. I challenge assumptions about clay and form, using hand-building techniques to push the boundaries of an object’s shape. I combine clays to create patterns and textures and glaze sparingly to highlight the beauty of the clay and the traces of my hand.

Louise uses stoneware to hand-build vases and tiles which reflect her connection to the natural environment, her garden, and storytelling, particularly concepts relating to guardian angels and animals. Recently, she has been experimenting with embedding organic materials, such as flowers and ferns, directly into her stoneware vases, allowing the heat of the kiln to burn out the organic matter. The results resemble fossils of the natural world.

What led you both to become artists?

Steven: I always knew I wanted to be an artist. My grandmother, a painter, encouraged me to attend art school. After completing four years in the Navy, I utilized the GI Bill for my education at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, where I received a BFA. I was fortunate to work in Chicago museums to earn a living, as well as becoming an art professor at Columbia College, jobs that complemented my artwork. 

Louise grew up in a time when few female role models were artists. She graduated from college with a degree in English and Art History, but returned to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago at the age of 28, where she was committed to studying fine art. She found great satisfaction working as an exhibit designer at the Field Museum and design director at the Chicago Children’s Museum. However, upon retiring from her nine-to-five career, she dedicated herself to creating art as a mature and confident female artist.

What makes your work unique?

Steven: What sets our work apart is our dedication to our art. Louise and I have both gained valuable experience from working in art-related fields. We are both passionate and critical about our creations, producing ceramic pieces that embody our maturity, personal experiences, and deep understanding of clay as our chosen medium.

One distinguishing feature of our pottery is our use of a gas-fired high-temperature reduction kiln. This firing method produces stunning tones in unglazed clay pieces and rich, deep colors in glazed items. Such kilns are becoming increasingly rare.

Chris Heck embraces spontaneity in his creative process, utilizing hand-building techniques and innovative methods to shape his pottery. His work reflects his playful approach to art, constantly pushing boundaries and exploring new forms. 

Tell us about your creative process.

Chris- I mainly hand build my pottery pieces using slab and coil techniques. One of the interesting ways that I make my forms is using gunpowder and fireworks to blow the clay up and make different shapes.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Chris- I just enjoy making things. I think it helps me de-stress and relax.

What makes your work unique?

Chris- I sort of just make things up as I go along. I like to push the boundaries of what you can and can’t do.

Cite an instance from your own life that has sparked creativity.

Chris- I SCUBA dive quite a bit, and the corals and sea life give me inspiration in both shapes and textures.

In her ceramics, Emilie from Twinette Poterie, merges functional beauty with sculptural elements. Her passion for material and its endless possibilities drives her to experiment with various techniques and inspirations drawn from nature.

Tell us about your creative process.

Emilie - My ceramics are entirely handmade, starting with a ball of clay. I use wheel throwing or building from clay slabs with molds to begin most of my forms. From there, pieces may be carved, hand painted or sculpted (often a combination of techniques!) I am drawn to create beautiful functional ceramics, but I also enjoy dabbling in sculptural work.

Pieces are fired to temperatures over 2200 degrees F, making them durable and suitable for everyday use.

What keeps you creating?

Emilie - Working in clay offers a never-ending discovery of the material. What I find most enjoyable about this medium is working out my newest inspirations. Problem solving a new piece, trying out glazes in different combinations, and watching an object be formed for the first time satisfies my curious and exploratory nature.

What led you to pursue a career as an artist?

Emilie - Becoming an artist is something that happened to me. I grew up with a mother who is an artist and encouraged self-expression via painting, drawing, and collaging. In college I excelled in my art classes so much that I added a major in Fine Arts, in addition to my Sociology degree.

I knew that in some capacity making art would be part of my life every day, and it has been an evolution to offer my work as a profession. The connection my work makes with my collectors is invaluable to me, I feel lucky to be able to share this part of myself with the world.

What makes your work unique?

Emilie- I create as an artist first- my offerings are always changing as I grow as a person and an artist. Living in the world as an active participant, my experiences in and love for nature inform much of my work. I hope that the peace and tranquility which inspires my work is conveyed to the user too!

Where do you find inspiration?

Emilie - I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from my garden in recent years. Songbirds fluttering between the zinnias and sunflowers may be painted on a mug. In the winter, I’ve painted dahlia florals in different varieties that I hoped to plant in the Spring. My pottery is inspired by vintage botanical prints, lively color ways that feel like spring, and happy memories of lazy summers by a riverbed. 

Sarah and Thomas Gelsanliter of One Acre Ceramics combine their diverse backgrounds in design and ceramics to craft stunning pottery and tiles. With a focus on unique designs and a distinctive glazing palette, they create art that is both beautiful and functional, inspired by their travels and experiences.

Tell us about your creative process

Sarah & Thomas- We often draw on the colors and patterns of our southeastern Michigan surroundings while creating our work. We have luminous glazes and intricate designs and each piece is hand-crafted to be both beautiful and functional.

With Thomas’s background in design and tile-making, he draws and hand carves all of the designs. Sugar bowls, vases, mugs, and other vessels are thrown on the potter’s wheel by Sarah. Both of us often work on the pieces at different points in the process, allowing us to create finished work that highlights our unique skills and varied backgrounds in clay. This also leads to daily conversations about designing new pieces, expanding surface treatments, and solving technical challenges.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? 

Sarah & Thomas- We enjoy working on new designs and creating new colors in our glaze palette. Even within the confines of a certain form, such as a mug or bud vase, we are always creating new shapes and styles.

What led you both to become artists?

Sarah & Thomas– We both grew up drawing and building. A career as a ceramic artist was a natural extension of our love of working with our hands and problem solving. We also both worked extensively in the field before starting our own business, which gave us a great foundation to build on. 

Thomas began working with clay in the 1990s in Alexandria, VA and received his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He worked as a mold maker as well as a production manager at Motawi Tileworks in Ann Arbor, MI for nearly 9 years. Thomas’ designs are influenced by historical furniture, industrial plate ware, architecture, and classic Arts & Crafts and folk-art iconography.

Sarah has been working with clay since 1992. She worked as a production potter at Greenfield Village in Dearborn for 10 years. She has taught ceramics classes and workshops at Yourist Studio, Pewabic Pottery, the Ann Arbor Potters Guild and the Ann Arbor Art Center. Sarah spent a year living in Japan, visiting studio potters throughout the country, and traveling to Korea, China, and Thailand. Her work is influenced by Asian art, Japanese brushwork and Arts & Crafts design.

Where do you find inspiration?

Sarah & Thomas- Traveling always sparks creativity. We have explored different areas of the mainland US and traveled to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Seeing the art and scenery of different areas is inspiring.

You can see these incredible artists and hundreds more at the One of a Kind Show, December 4 – 7, 2025.