Laura Hohn
O’Fallon, IL

My fascination with clay began as a young child. My grandmother was a painter and exposed me to art very early in life.  Then at the age of nine, my mother bought me a bag of clay and a book on basic ceramic techniques. I was instantly hooked.

I took classes in various art mediums throughout my childhood and during high school, and when I entered college I knew that I wanted to take that passion for art and make a life out of it. I graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and an emphasis in ceramics. In college, I was able to explore all of the roles that go into creating pottery. I worked as a teaching assistant for the ceramics department, and learned to make clay and glazes, fire kilns, run the studio, and teach demonstrations. 

After graduation, I worked for two years as a potter's apprentice, learning the ins and outs of a working studio. My apprenticeship was through the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, Missouri, and in 2006 I petitioned and was accepted as a resident juried artist.  Shortly after, I decided to branch off into a studio of my own. I currently produce all my work in Studio 21 at the Foundry. I sell my artwork through my studio, and I also travel through out the Midwest to sell at art fairs and craft shows. My pieces are also available through galleries, wholesale and custom orders.

My pieces are wheel thrown stoneware with an emphasis on bright colors, subtle details and textures. The majority of my work is functional, but I enjoy making figurative sculpture and teaching classes. My functional work, such as dishware, wine chillers and serving platters, is designed to be as useful as it is beautiful. They are all food safe and lead free, and can be used in the microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe.

My biggest joy as an artist is to see my work being used and loved. I believe art should be enjoyed everyday; that it exists to brighten our lives. Therefore, I make my pieces to be delicate and aesthetic, but durable enough to withstand daily use. With proper care, my pieces will easily last a lifetime.

Check out my work!

Zach Schnare
Collinsville, IL

I am the art teacher at Metro-East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville, Illinois. My family and I make our home in Collinsville, Illinois. I have both a BS-Ed and a BA-Ecclesiastical Arts from Concordia University Seward, Nebraska. I started focusing on ceramics in 2004 and have been throwing ever since. My focus is found in the functionality of pottery use in the home. As a potter, I have always been fascinated with the idea that a personal connection can be made through the experience of owning a piece of pottery.  This fascination drives most of my work into the area of functional pottery. I strive to provide an experience of using functional pottery in a person’s daily life. I want my pottery to possess a ‘down-to-earth’ feeling, which provides the inspiration for the name DowntoEarthenware.

Check out my work here and here!