Kathryn Rosebear

Functional porcelain pottery – mugs, cups, plates, bowls, and vases – with animal and floral themes. All work is food-safe and oven-, dishwasher- and microwave-proof.

If I had lived in a warmer climate, I might never have become a potter.  My first artistic medium was soil, from which I coaxed gardens - broad swaths of color from perennials, and the more subtle shades of green from foliage.  Over 35 years, I have turned my entire corner city lot into a garden which regularly wins awards from Minneapolis’ Blooming Boulevards Program.

In Minnesota, though, the gardening season shuts down for almost half a year, leaving us with stark scenes of white and black, shadow on snow, and the persistent cold.  During one of those long winters during the 1990s, I decided to take up pottery.  Now when I have to leave my garden, I can go to my studio in the Northern Clay Center, a non-profit dedicated to clay art, where I share the camaraderie of working with other artists and the warmth from the kilns.

My work has evolved over time, but is strongly influenced by my interest in gardening and the natural world. I work in porcelain, which offers a strong white palette on which I can paint floral and animal motifs.  I often sketch in my garden, creating motifs based on the plants I love and the insects which benefit from them.  Those animals which make appearances on my pots –cats, foxes, rabbits, and a variety of birds – are often found within a half mile of my home.

The functionality of my work is important to me, and I think it is important for those who own my pots to use them. For that reason, I fire my pots to cone 10, or approximately 2300 degrees, to ensure that they are safe for household use and wear.  I have experimented on glaze formulas and applications to ensure that the pots retain their bright colors though they are fired at such a high temperature, and also to ensure that the pots are durable and safe to eat from and use, whether in a microwave or oven. I hope that, as people use my pots, the colors and motifs remind them of the magic of summer and the gardening season throughout the year.

You can contact Kathryn by Email or her Facebook page.