Collection: Matt Schiemann - Featured Artist

I am a second-generation potter and grew up watching and helping my dad create ceramic works.  This early exposure to ceramics taught me to appreciate the handmade object and to eventually choose the field of ceramics for my ceramics.  Although I did not formally pursue ceramics until my junior year of college, I quickly fell in love with the material and the process. Begrudgingly following in my Dad’s footsteps, I decided to pursue ceramics full-time and went on to graduate school at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  Studying under Harris Deller and Pattie Chalmers, I shifted my focus from sculptural ceramics to functional pottery.

From 2009 to 2020 I was the artist programming manager at the Morean Center for Clay in Saint Petersburg Florida.  I currently reside in Fuquay-Varina North Carolina where I am a full time studio potter.

Statement:

Being a second-generation potter, my rural home was alive with handmade objects. This influenced both my growth as a person and as an artist. I envision my pottery in people’s homes, filling their cabinets, displayed out on dining room tables, and laying used and enjoyed at the bottom of a sink. The home represents a place for family and friends to gather and enjoy each other’s company. I want my pots to be a part of the conversations and stories that are shared during times of celebration as well as day to day happenings. 

I get the inspiration for my decorations from my mother’s quilt’s, the craftsmanship on stringed instruments, leather tooling on belts and guitar straps as well as the textiles of William Morris. 

Find Matt’s Artaxis page: https://artaxis.org/matthew-schiemann/

** Matt Schiemann's Artaxis Shop has ended. You can find more work available for sale by visiting the other Featured Artist collections HERE