Anne Goldberg

I make functional pottery out of porcelain and stoneware clays using both handbuilding and wheel throwing techniques. Many of my pieces are altered or assembled in some way. I focus on movement, texture and pattern, using both clay surface manipulation and glaze and slip application. My inspirations include patterns found in riverbeds, on the beach, in simple geometry, and in my mother’s textile collection.
My work is soda fired to cone 10, approximately 2,350 degrees F. I spray a soda ash solution into the kiln at 2,350 degrees. The soda ash flows through the kiln on the flames, catching edges and rims of pots. It reacts with the clay in a way that highlights forms and creates its own pattern of flame on my pieces. Because of my making and firing processes, every piece is unique.
My work is intended to be part of everyday life: the mug you reach for every morning, the fruit bowl gracing your kitchen counter, the bud vase for a single flower from your garden, the soap dish on your bathroom sink, the water pitcher on your dining room table. I hope that people find a little joy the daily rituals of their lives when using one of my pots.