Laurie Sargent

Born: 1941
Medium: Ceramics

Laurie received her BA from the University of California at Berkeley in1963. Originally a painting major she became enamored with clay while taking a required ceramics class. Her instructor in that class was the renown artist, Peter Voulkos. She was immediately drawn to throwing pots on a wheel and recalls his ability to infuse life and energy into every piece, something she now strives for.

After leaving the University she taught Junior High and High School in Richmond, CA for 9 years as well as attending many ceramics workshops with contemporary American potters. She has long had an interest Asian art and was a docent at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco for eight years. She has studied Japanese calligraphy, sumi-e, tea ceremony and ikebana. Her work has been exhibited at the Mendocino Art Center.

Laurie’s functional pottery is both wheel thrown and hand built. It is then decorated, glazed and fired to 2300 degrees Fahrenheit. Decoration often contrasts incised areas with smooth glazed surfaces. Each pot is crafted to be visually stimulating, well designed and satisfying to use.