A Creative Spirit
Meet my friend and creative inspiration, Laura Silberman. She knits, writes, cooks, and designs almost non-stop with a truly generous creative spirit. She is also a delightful studio potter with the business name, Clay by Laura.
Laura describes her pottery as “FUNctional” and that is a very apt description. Far from working in a mass production studio, she creates small batches and individual pieces that are infused with individuality. Her pottery can enliven any home, kitchen, or garden in a fun and often funky way.
Laura grew up in the Washington, D.C., area. As a child, she was exposed to many creative opportunities. At 14, she took sculpture classes at the Corcoran School for the Arts. When she saw a pottery wheel in motion, she got hooked.
Fortunate to live by wonderful potters, Laura took classes from the renowned ceramicist and sculptor Winnie Owens and credits her not only with creative influence but also teaching her how to manage her studio time and the importance of cleaning up! She also studied with the meticulous ceramicist Cliff Lee, who encouraged her to pursue her adventures in clay.
But when Laura attended Goucher College outside of Baltimore she majored in communication, not trusting she could earn a living as a potter. However, still taking art and pottery classes, she never abandoned her fascination with clay.
Many years later when she and her husband moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, she became active in the local pottery scene and her enthusiasm skyrocketed. She credits clay artist Amy Sanders with inspiring her love of hand-built clay objects.
Realizing she had an innate love of putting things together — whether it was in cooking, sewing, or knitting — Laura’s pottery took a new turn. She found her voice by adding amazing texture to pieces of clay and then assembling them into one-of-a-kind pieces with brightly colored glazes.
Today she lives in Maryland, and her home studio is the place for playful clay creativity. Whether it is a wonky canister set or a custom dog-treat jar complete with the dog’s image layered on the outside, there is always something special coming out of her kiln.
Laura loves making unique items for her customers, whether they are retail stores or individuals. She has a special knack for combining form and function. For example, she made scores of small dishes for the members of The Historic Huntsville Foundation in Alabama. Each dish was glazed in a rich golden hue and had a small house in the center along with the word “preserve.”
Speaking of personalized items, one of my favorites is the ceramic totem Laura creates with your house numbers. Perfect in front of your house or at the end of the driveway, it also gives your home an artsy vibe! Since she loves gardening, Laura also makes colorful garden totems, flowerpots, and even a ceramic watering can.
Many of Laura’s favorite items are based on her own interests and hobbies. She is an avid knitter, so she makes a great yarn bowl. She is also a wonderful cook, so her ceramic recipe box often comes with one of her handwritten recipe cards!
Laura also loves stacking her pieces, making layers of dishes or bowls in descending sizes and coordinated colors. They are both super-functional and great to display.
You can see all her work at claybylaura.com. Be sure to check out her blog — she faithfully wrote a post about her creative work every Monday for five full years! Not only will they provide insight into her creative process, but her posts may also serve as an inspiration and impetus for your own creative life.
claybylaura.com
Diane Sulg is executive director of CRAFT and founder & co-chair of American Craft Week (ACW). She is a handmade advocate who provides valuable information in her one-day seminars at wholesale shows throughout the United States. She can be reached at dianesulg@gmail.com.