I try to create pottery with complete awareness of the clay and the process needed to shape a piece of clay into a functional form.  Gary Snyder wrote that ” Wildness is the state of complete awareness.”  The name “Wild Crafted” helps to remind me to practice awareness as I work with clay.  I love to make pots that are for every day utilitarian use.  These types of pots are the foundation of my work.  The decoration on the pots evolved from my experiments with glaze colors and my love of native plants.  The wildflowers are hand carved and then stamped into the clay to form floral arrangements or patterns.  My forms have evolved from years of being a production potter.

I learned to throw pots at the Manchester Craftsman Guild in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1977.  My infatuation with all things clay led to a teaching job with inner-city children, adults, senior citizens and special-needs adults.  After four years at the Guild my limited life experience and desire to see more of the country led me to travel West.  As I traveled and needed jobs to travel, I would stop in towns and look up the potters.  I would be hired to do their production  pottery until I made enough to travel on.  I developed my ability to throw many different styles and techniques of pottery and learned how other studios operated.  At times I was able to do my own production through various community potteries and sell my wares at different fairs.   Always I would gather information and techniques to one day have my own studio.  Finally,  I have settled in Cliff, located in the Gila Valley and set up a studio to bring the culmination of over 35 years as an itinerant potter to fruition.  My business is called Wild Crafted • Clay Pottery.  I teach classes, make, and sell pottery at my studio.

Thank you!  Mary Giardina