maria stone

I’m a Roanoke-based artist focused on creating functional and decorative ceramic wares. Instead of throwing pottery on a wheel, my work is created using rolled slabs of clay or by pinching and molding by hand. I adorn each piece with intricate free-hand illustrations and carvings. These slow and intentional handbuilding and decorating techniques give each piece a whimsical—and one of a kind—character.

I love folklore and our natural inclination for storytelling, which inspires much of my work. Complex themes like reproduction and decay are conveyed through simple, relatable moments that are created, borrowed and shared.

background

After graduating in 2012 with BAs in Art History and Studio Art (concentrating in painting and drawing) from the University of Mary Washington, I apprenticed in the ceramic studio at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. For years I created work under my brand Butternut Press. My work has been exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (VA Beach, VA), The Society for Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA), American Craft Council Show (Baltimore, MD), The Clay Center of New Orleans (New Orleans, LA), and more. I’m currently teaching adult classes and workshops on a variety of ceramic techniques at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.

I had the pleasure to chat with Paul on The Potters Cast ! Listen below to hear a little bit about my story or check out his show page