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 Karen Bearman

     Enticed by a potter on a kickwheel at a country fair in the 70s, I began pottery classes and then an apprenticeship in a Washington, DC studio. Since then I have worked full time as a studio potter, participating in workshops, craft shows and fairs, and as a ceramics teacher, instructing children and adults in independent schools and private studios. I exhibit my work at shows and galleries on the Eastern Shore and in the DC area. In addition to pottery, I have worked in stone and watercolor while studying at the Corcoran College of Art. Cambridge, Maryland, is my home and I work out of my basement studio. I am a member of the Clay Guild of the Eastern Shore, Salisbury Art Space,and Main Street Gallery. During the academic year, I teach studio Ceramics at Salisbury University. I create wheel-thrown, functional pieces in stoneware and porcelain, and hand-built pieces, both sculptural and functional, using different firing methods: high-fire oxidation and reduction, and low-fire raku. Most recently I am celebrating the female character from mythological, historical, political, and fictional sources, creating what I call “Lady Carafes.”Achieving a pleasing surface and form is the motivation for my work. I find special pleasure in
creating pieces that may enhance the daily activities of people’s lives,
and in sharing my love of this exceptionally responsive medium.