About Me

Past

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I have always had a curious interest in working with his hands. When I was younger I would fold small origami trinkets, 3D model and print and build intricate structures out of Lego bricks. Picking up clay for the first time as a freshman in high school my hands subconsciously melded to the form and I began to spend much of my free time in the studio. My earliest creations naturally possessed the characteristics which I sought out in my other mediums of “art,” yet pottery allowed me to reach another level of expression. I was no longer limited by paper’s 7 fold limit, the compatibility of bricks or the finickiness of 3D software.

Pottery combined the best of all three worlds and then some, allowing me to fully explore and display my creative curiosity. My work today displays the natural forms I found as a kid; it embraces clean lines, intricate details and refined surfaces, all with functionality in mind. The tactility, boundlessness and magic (being able to turn mud into mug) of handmade ceramics is what draws me so close to it.

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Present

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Since graduating high school in 2023 my studio time is split between Lafayette College and my home studio. I am on the board of my college’s pottery club and manage its studio space and operation. Finding joy in spreading my love for the craft, I host wheel throwing, hand building and glazing lessons on a weekly basis for Lafayette College students. During my first semester I had the privilege of being nominated into the college’s CaPA scholars program which both celebrates my positive contributions to the college campus and supports me in my future projects as a passionate artist. While studying to complete my degree in engineering studies I have still continued to regularly run my social media and online/in-person sales.

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Materials and Inspiration

The smaller functional-ware that I create aims to slow down the interactions that I have with my food and drinks; to help me pause and enjoy the present moment. Creating vessels which are small, light weight and precise presents a sense of preciousness and charm. Using my own vessels also allows me to retreat to finding the satisfaction in smaller portions and the contents of my meals rather than quantity. I have recently been inspired by East Asian chawans, or tea bowls, along with global tea and coffee traditions. They have inspired many of my methods and considerations for new work.

I am constantly exploring new ideas and in a digitized age new inspirations stream in daily. Some of the most influential potters which I regularly follow are Florian Gadsby, Andres Montenegro, Mike Jabbur, Alex Olson and Dwayne Sackey.
Chris Nappo 2024