Michelle Stroud

My first piece of pottery came from my grandmother’s cabinet – an old chipped little pitcher with painted flowers on the side. I loved how the piece felt in my hands, and the fact that something with such a simple beauty could also be so useful.

My first experience making my own ceramics started when I took a coil building workshop while living in Japan (the ashtray I made in 4th grade doesn’t count, though it does speak for the time) and I found myself reaching for the same feeling – could I make something beautiful that someone would want to use? It was a rough piece, but I loved that with care and time I could shape something both useful and satisfying to look at.

I appreciate simple, clean lines and repetitive forms, and I enjoy experimenting with new ways to achieve that consistently as well as playing with textures and the use or absence of glazes to highlight the unique aspects of each form.

I make the things I’d like to have in my home. Whether it’s a quirky set of cups and a pitcher for sangria or a single porcelain vase to hold flowers from the garden, my work is designed to be used. My recent work has included developing a line of pieces for entertaining – tableware, serving platters, beverage service, as well as functional home décor such as vases and planters. While I’m continuing to refine that collection, I’m also working on a project that explores how changing a single variable – clay body, glaze, texture, size – within a series of similar forms evokes different emotions or changes the sense of purpose for that piece.

Email: mstroudceramics@gmail.com
Website: In Development
Instagram: @michellestroudceramics
Shop Evanston Made: Michelle Stroud Ceramics