Nigerian American studio potter (she/her)
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2026-09-30T23:06:05Z Event JSON
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Last Notes npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa We installed our #solar panels around August of last year and it’s going well. We’re using zero kWh/month and have about 900 kWh banked with FPL. It’s very cool to know that the a/c and my pottery kiln are running on solar power. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Before/After npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I was able to regain my wheel throwing abilities and produce my first batch of ollas for the year. I began making these garden irrigation tools last year, right around the time I joined Mastodon. We were experiencing drought (as we are again this year) and I decided to make use of this ancient #gardening solution. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Meanwhile, in #Florida npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Today, I got an order from an interior design co requesting two lamp bases using my #Florida crackle surface. I’ve only ever used it for the pieces I’ve made for local gallery shows to share my #WildClay experiments with the general public. I mark them NFS and never thought of the pieces as sellable because of the fragility of the surface. I’m pretty excited that the designer accepts the fragility and wants me to use this surface on functional objects. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa A rare snippet of my decorating process. Here I’m filling in the monstera pattern on this planter with terra sigillata (a watery, refined clay slip) made with clay from Ontario. This is much different than painting—it’s basically glaze application. The difference is, I’m applying three layers of terra sig to achieve my desired result. If I apply the sig too thinly, it will come out brown. Three coats (and proper firing) gives me a rich olive green with a bit of variegation. #pottery #ceramics npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa It's my first Fediversary! Still happy to be here, no regrets leaving IG--in fact, it's been a relief. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Every now and then, I return to the source for #inspiration. I've been taking time away from the studio to celebrate the holidays, spend more time with family and reset. As we creep closer to the end of the year, I'm thinking about what to make, what to express, how to take my work to the next level in 2026. This Nigerian (Igbo) pottery vessel is absolutely magnificent--looks like sewn leather, doesn't it? #pottery #NigerianPottery #ceramics #art #BlackArt #AfricanArt npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I tested the #clay the surfer gave me and it turns out to be very similar to many other samples I’ve found in #Florida. The gray-to-yellow/off-white transformation, the high porosity even when fired to high temps—this is the most common type of clay I’ve found, not just in SW FL, but even in central and NE FL. #WildClay npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Last pot of the year! I made a second version of the terracotta amaryllis vase at the request of a neighbor. He and his wife are also craftspeople—she makes #pottery and he fashions highly polished wood lids to fit her vessels. This will be her Christmas gift. I offered to deliver it to their home so that I can peek inside their studio. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I tracked down the original article that has more shard illustrations so you can better visualize what is being described: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10963-025-09200-9 npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa "These vessels represent the first moment in history when people chose to portray the botanical world as a subject worthy of artistic attention," the authors note. "It reflects a cognitive shift tied to village life and a growing awareness of symmetry and aesthetics." npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa New lamps!💡 In 2023 I created a line of lamps for an interior design company. They wanted a very simple, classic, non-decorative surface and so it’s been fun to return to the idea with the addition of my Earth Tones and carved surfaces. The larger one is an order from a long-time collector who’s become a friend. The other one is for my mom’s birthday! #handmade #pottery npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Okay, that was a very lovely encounter. The guy who contacted me is a surfer, born & raised in FL. He said the #clay had washed up in big balls onto the beach after the storms and that he’d never seen anything like it before. I told him that the hurricanes were such a material, psychological & spiritual upheaval for so many and that working with the clay would help me to continue to reflect on all that happened. More info in the #alttext npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa A guy emailed me saying he collected #WildClay from the beaches exposed by the series of hurricanes we had last year. He’d been trying to find someone to give it to who would appreciate it and found me online. I’m going to meet up with him in a few minutes. Yippee! He says it’s very pure marine clay with no sand. I haven’t found beach clay yet and all of the #Florida clays I’ve collected so far are sandy, so this is an exciting find. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I finally got around to processing several #WildClay samples I'd collected over the last half of the year. I really love having this very tangible way to reflect on the places I've been. I've made some predictions of what results I might get from my test tiles, but mostly, I'm prepared to be surprised--which is what makes it a fun and inspiring way to work. I wanted to share my blog post "Earthen Rainbow: Decorating with Clay" for those who haven't seen it. https://potterybyosa.com/blogs/clay-people/earthen-rainbow-working-with-wild-clay-terra-sigillata-at-midrange npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Thanks for the card suggestions! Any Fedi artists and crafts people have Christmas tree ornaments for sale? Ceramic, felt, crochet, wood, anything #handmade. US makers, please. 🎄 npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Anyone on here sell thank you cards or blank cards that are handmade or feature original artwork? US makers only, please. #stationary #papermaking npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Just finished squeegeeing my floors 😅 I’m finally done cleaning and preparing for tomorrow. As I walked back inside from taking out the trash, I noticed how beautiful the late afternoon light is, shining on the pots I have out on my work table for display. I feel very grateful for this space 🙏🏾 #pottery npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Deep cleaning my workspace ahead of my open studio event this Saturday. Going through all of my tools, getting rid of things I never use, wondering how I ended up with five yard sticks over the years, etc. So much dust, so many random little cups and bags with clay samples and experimental mixtures. It will feel really great starting the new year with a clean studio! npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Had a couple of my friends’ kids over for a #pottery making session. I’ve known the boy for a year and a half now and I just met the girl for the first time at that skatepark event a couple of weeks ago. I bisque fired the mug she made and today she got to decorate it with colorful underglazes. It was very freaking #cute. They are 4 and 7 years old. I think the moms had a good time hanging out too. #KidsArt npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Another cool thing about Providence Canyon is there’s glitter and rainbows everywhere. At first I thought the rainbow water at the bottom for canyon was gasoline runoff but then noticed it was more concentrated wherever there was granulated mica. I looked it up, and when mica breaks down finely enough, it creates this rainbow swirl in water. Higher up in elevation, I also found some sandy yellow micaceous #clay. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa We visited Providence Canyon State Park in #Georgia for my birthday, which was on Thursday. The park has a disturbing origin story but the beauty of the strata below is undeniable. Earth is the original work of #art from which all of the art we create is derived. The last time we saw this many earthen colors was in New Mexico last year. Here, the soil is mostly sand, not clay but there was still some #clay present. #nature #geology npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Just finished working on some pages for a kids' art #zine we're making for upcoming community #Kwanzaa celebrations. Each child will be given a gift bag with zines, stickers, clay and other little art supplies. Last year, I just attended the celebration and this year I'm happy to be involved. I've never celebrated Kwanzaa in my home, but its a really good way to feel connected and grounded in positive ethics. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa The handful of you who also follow my gardening account @nprofile…g7yu know that I’ve begun #spinning native cotton. I love plants in the hibiscus family and was given permission to gather some seeds from a plant at the community garden last spring. I started off spinning the fiber with a pencil and then got my neighbor to make me a spindle from scrap wood. The two ceramic whorls I made just came out of the kiln and my neighbor fashioned some dowels to fit them. #FiberArts npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Twinning in the sun 🌞 with my favorite mug from this collection. I did not consciously dress like the mug but considering the fact that I mostly wore neutral tones before I started working with #WildClay sig, it’s safe to say that the clay is speaking through my outfits these days. The pink, orange and olive green on the exterior are all natural clay tones. This mug is going to a home in Gainesville, Florida. A few pieces are left: www.potterybyosa.com npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa TGIF! I just finished writing up my newsletter that will go out tomorrow and I started it by mentioning that my pieces for this month’s collection had to share kiln space with a fair number of pieces by kids & students as well as my larger sculptural vessels—and also a lamp commission. Life feels varied and full at the moment, just like that kiln load. Off to an art show now. Have a relaxing weekend, everyone. #pottery #ceramics #art npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa These photos are from last weekend. I provided a free Clay Play table for an event at the local skatepark. My husband’s a skateboarder & skatepark designer so I got linked in through his network. It was so sweet, fun and, best of all, relaxing. A few kids got hooked and stayed at the table for the entire four hours I was there. It’s incredible how #clay can captures kids’ attention in that way. #kidsart #pottery #ceramics npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Last year, I sent some #clay that I collected to the University of West Georgia Archaeology Dept and they just sent me the results of their experiment. They tested how the addition of sponge spicules (or fired sea sponge) affects the strength of the fired clay. This method of tempering clay isn't common but evidence of its use can be found in pottery shards throughout the world, including here in SW #Florida. Anyway, how cool to be able to assist in scientific #research. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Every potter is a bit of a pyromaniac. As soon as the temperature drops below 60°F, it’s fire season. I have an entire body of work that I only make in the winter because I fire #pottery in my outdoor woodfire kiln. #Permaculture geeks will love this: I built a #RocketKiln with post consumer materials based on the design of the rocket stove. I also use post consumer waste as fuel. I’m excited to share this process with you over the next couple of months. More info: https://potterybyosa.com/blogs/clay-people/portrait-of-a-kiln-lisas-orrs-rocket-kiln npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Just a middle aged woman getting her first pair of progressive lenses. I’ve been slightly nearsighted since I was a kid but in recent years it’s been getting more difficult to read up close. I would have just grabbed a pair of drugstore magnifiers but my eyes are very different from each other. My right eye is much more farsighted than my left. Everyone in the office congratulated me on my first pair of progressives like it was a big deal? lol idk npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I’m feeling refreshed, inspired by the seascape that surrounds me and ready to create this week. This is an old photo from one of those days when the Gulf is so clear, it looks like a swimming pool. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I started with another Ringling College of Art student a couple of weeks ago. They don’t have a #ceramics program at their school so whenever a student approaches me with an interest in #clay, I provide a free 6 week studio intensive where they get the entire experience from beginning to end—forming pieces, making their own slips & glazes, and firing. #education #skillshare #communityed #communityeducation npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…wv57 lucky you. Even if you don’t plan to move there, at least you wouldn’t have to get a visa when you want to visit. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Even as I create larger statement pieces for upcoming shows, my functional ware is still the most important aspect of my work because of the way it exists in people’s homes and everyday lives. Here are a few pieces that have come out of the kiln over the past few weeks. #pottery #ceramics npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I’ve been hearing such good things about #Ireland lately. My husband’s surname is O’Mahoney and, after high school graduation, he and his dad visited the country and found the region they descended from. I visited Cork and Belfast briefly on tour with a band back around 2008 but it was a whirlwind. There’s a solo exhibition in Dublin in October 2026 of Hilma af Klint’s paintings. Maybe I could teach or do a residency there around that time. Anyone have any leads? npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Yesterday we took our family to our favorite #nature park in #Louisiana. It was my 3 month old nephew’s very first hike and the first place I ever found #WildClay years ago when we lived in Baton Rouge. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa This vase was a custom order for a couple’s 9th wedding anniversary. They wanted something they could pass down to future generations and thought a ceramic piece would make a good commemorative heirloom. They mentioned their love for terracotta amaryllis, a variety I’d never heard of. Terracotta literally means “baked earth” so I was excited to render the flower in clay tones using a mixture of pink Alabama #clay and a clay called Newman Red from California. #pottery npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I'm overwhelmed by the response to this piece. Thank you for all of the thoughtful, heartfelt comments. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa This is what it looked like before it was fired. At this point, I’d let it dry completely (we call that bone dry) and then I painted it with dirt water (we call that terra sig.) I love this soft, pastel stage and I also love the color shifting alchemy that happens in a hot kiln. The yellow to dark purple is especially wild. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Still warm from the kiln, covered in warm earth tones—I’m so relieved this piece came out successfully on the other side of firing. I worked on it over the course of a month and remembered to document moments of process which I think I’ll share in a thread. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I started calling my little jars of terra sigillata “dirt water.” I’m currently in the surface decorating phase of my process, which I love. It requires patience but I do enjoy the process of applying terra sig with my little Japanese calligraphy brush. Lately, it’s the firing process that has been giving me trouble. I’ve been having problems with sig flaking off—sometimes because of too-thick application or too-high firing temps. #DecoratingWithDirt #WildClay #ceramics npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I usually make things for people to use at home, but it seems to me that the only purpose of this bowl is to bob and spin in the Gulf. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I just posted a small batch of new pots in my shop. Please take a look: https://potterybyosa.com/collections/september-collection-3 npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I made this piece for an upcoming exhibition at Utilitarian Clay, a #ceramics conference at Arrowmont School of Craft in Tennessee. I’ve made pitcher & basin sets before, but this is my first one with the #WildClay surface. I began to see them as interpretations of Venus standing in a clam shell on the water, representing love, femininity, sex, desire, beauty. I picture this set in someone’s home resting together but put to use separately—as a vase and a serving bowl. #pottery #cerámica npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa After I’ve tested my new #WildClay samples on tiles, the next step is to try them on small items to see how they behave. It’s common to get a satisfactory result on a test tile but then have problems when applying that same material to an actual pot. For instance, the dark brown clay (inside the leaf shapes) came out perfectly smooth on the tile but flakes slightly when applied to textured areas of the pot. Once I’m satisfied with the results on a cup, I can move to application on larger pieces. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I have so many thoughts on #deminimis Etsy, EBay, Amazon, Temu, SHEIN, small handmade businesses, etc. None of my views are black and white and I can’t fit them in the allotted word count and I don’t feel like making a giant thread about it either. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Nabta Playa: The world’s first astronomical site was built in Africa and is older than Stonehenge npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Earthen Rainbow 🌈 These are the results from my last terra sig test run—clays collected from hotel parking lots, construction sites, river banks and more. The common soil under our feet contains infinite possibilities that we will probably never exhaust and that most of us will never even begin to explore. We haven’t given the Earth proper attention, appreciation or care yet people want to explore and colonize Mars. #clay #WildClay #nature #pottery #Earth npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa This is my attempt to #AddToBlackSky! My Mastodon account bridges to BlueSky. Think this will work? npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa This is the Ancestors’ Work – Jim McDowell npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Vintage "Ceramics Monthly" magazine (February 1968). "The Traditional Pottery of Nigeria" and other articles. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…kyy4 what kind of dog is that? npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Here's one of two large terracotta coil pots I fired over the weekend, featuring the pearly, crackled surface I get when I turn #clay from Ocala National Forest into terra sigillata. I'm making these pieces to be shown at upcoming exhibitions in #Florida, hoping to pique others' curiosity about this unique peninsula of limestone & sand that we live on. That curiosity can lead to greater connection with the Earth, something that many of us have lost along the way: https://potterybyosa.com/blogs/clay-people/fractured-fragmented-and-fragile npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I’m working on building a digital portfolio of past and current work on my website. I made this pitcher in 2021 using a glaze that I’ve had to retire because of insurmountable technical difficulties. (I did a whole podcast on it for any ceramic material nerds out there: https://youtu.be/WjfWUbbNY6M) I loved the fluidity of this surface which aligned so well with the function of a pouring pot and the blue waters of the Florida Gulf Coast. I’m curious who ended up with this piece of #pottery. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I formed this mug on the wheel and waited for it to dry to the point where it’s no longer tacky, but still soft and flexible. This is the perfect time to apply stamped texture! I make roulette stamps by carving into a coil of clay. I roll the stamp from bottom to top, which softens the form and gives the rim a bit of undulation. This adds a subtle layer of detail and gesture over which I will add my carved geometric patterning. I just wanted to show this phase because I really love it. #pottery npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I uploaded a five minute unedited video of me coil building a pot, just as a test since I’m new to PeerTube. The goal is to move toward edited videos that show more of the process and better video angels that help students learn the technique. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Pottery is where I maintain my idealism and make it manifest through material, form and color. It’s where I can bring together the wisdom of the past and present to create something harmonious and wholesome. I do with pottery what I wish we could do on the grandest scale. I look at this pot and it just glows so warmly, radiating love, gratitude, peace and alignment. It’s tangible evidence that these things are here with us all of the time even when the world seems like the darkest void. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I started using #Kagi search engine today on a trial basis to see how I like it. As a blog writer who really cares about my web presence, it makes me sad to know that the majority of people will end up reading summaries rather than visiting websites. I’ve put in a lot of effort making my website beautiful and educational—much more than just a sales platform. Using images & video more may be the way to go. Summaries can’t replace that kind of content. I just made a @nprofile…zx2d account. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I just finished another batch of garden ollas. They’re drying in the sun now and I’ll fire them later this evening. Afterward they’ll be a nice, rich terracotta red. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I just listed new #pottery in my shop—a much smaller batch than usual since my attention is a bit divided these days. I’m working on a couple of commissions as well as pieces for upcoming exhibitions, and I got quite busy during the month of June with community events. It all makes for a balanced existence as an artist and, in producing fewer pieces, each one holds that much more intention & significance. Thanks for taking a look! (Ships to US only.) #handmade npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Amy Sherald Pulls Smithsonian Show Over Censorship Concerns npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I made a new dog bowl because I dropped a bottle of olive oil on the old one and it split in three. I made this one with a super thick rim to hopefully give it some extra durability against #HurricaneOsa. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Awesome photos from an invitational gallery show that opened this week. I shared these ewers in a previous post just after they’d come out of the kiln, but it’s wonderful to see my work grouped with others’ and displayed in such a pleasing, rhythmic way. What an honor to be included with some of the most talented ceramic artists in the country. #pottery #ceramics #handmade #mastodonart #gallery npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…el4d Power outages are a definite concern because we live in a hurricane prone area. We’ve gone without power for a week more than once. So I will definitely look into this, thanks. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…rj2n We’re not really saving monthly. Honestly, it’s about the same as our average electric bill. We did it because it’s the right thing to do. Maybe we can still get the tax credit, though. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa It’s finally happening, folks. We’re going #solar 🌞 We’re grid-tied so what this means is a drastic reduction in our fossil fuel use, but not complete elimination. I’m especially happy to be decreasing fossil fuel reliance in the #pottery studio as it adds an additional layer of intentionality to my work. I can talk all day about my connection to the earth through #clay, but it’s all empty conceptualizing without accompanying action. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…jyqu I think there will always be people using lithium in their glazes as long as it’s commercially available bc many don’t know (or care) about the environmental and human rights issues related to it’s consumption. I’ve eliminated it from my studio practice, not that this helps the overall situation. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…jyqu Lithium is also used in some ceramic glaze recipes. The cost has risen sharply with demand from the auto industry. Some potters have decreased or eliminated use of lithium and also cobalt in our studios because of these issues. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa My new crackly pot inspired another blog post because 500 characters just isn't enough. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa In preparation for upcoming exhibitions and in addition to the #pottery I make that is pleasurable to look at and use, I want to create pieces that elicit curiosity. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa “For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, the concept of Country encompasses the lands, skies and waters to which they are deeply connected, over countless generations… Emily Kam Kngwarray’s art embodies her detailed knowledge of the places where she lived throughout her life with layered motifs representing the plants, animals and geological features that formed the desert ecosystems around her.” #art #painting #Indigenous #IndigenousArt #aboriginal #TateModern npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa The trick on a day like today is to balance the anger that comes from the knowledge that the notion of freedom in the United States is deeply hypocritical with gratitude for the many freedoms we do enjoy that many across the globe do not. Try holding both things at once. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I was invited to make pieces for an upcoming ewer show. The concept was inspired by the gallery owner’s experience beginning to #garden with his family, enjoying the bounty daily, and using #handmade ewers to drizzle olive oil and vinegar over fresh veggies. I love making pots that pour, so the prompt was a welcome challenge, allowing me to combine multiple elements that I’ve practiced over the years. How would you use these pots? npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I recently visited my birthplace. We moved away when I was 5 and I hadn’t been back in decades. My parents are immigrants so we have no familial connection to that place. My parents also sold the house I grew up in so sometimes I don’t feel like I’m from anywhere. I brought home a tiny sample of birthplace #clay to make art with so that I could try to process and heal this disconnect. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa A 12 yr old Black girl came to my Juneteenth workshop and sculpted this small terracotta bust—focused, joyful, sure of herself. I had just returned from #AugustaSavage’s hometown the night before (see previous posts). As a child, Savage was beaten for sculpting #clay animals. (Her dad was a preacher and saw them as idols.) She faced endless obstacles over her lifetime, but kept creating. Seeing this young artist reminded me: her path is clearer now because of those who came before. #KidsArt npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Attaching a tall neck to the base of a pedestal vase: npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa #Juneteenth hits different this year after visiting Virginia. Florida was mostly settled after the Civil War so the vestiges of slavery aren’t in my face every day. In Virginia, I had to drive down Robert E Lee Blvd and turn onto Plantation Dr. Every brick on the campus where the conference was held was made by enslaved ppl. Every building built by the enslaved. It really makes you feel like it all happened very recently. 160 years isn’t a long time. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa #MutualAid Pottery Raffle! A #KaaboClay member is preparing for a critical, life-saving surgery. Artist Kenya Moffett-Garner will be unable to work for a month while she recovers and needs our collective support. [email protected] to entered a raffle to win this Earth Tone pitcher. Winner will be selected at random & announced on Sunday night. US only because of shipping. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa One year ago today, I was finishing a month-long art residency in Taos, New Mexico. This was my workspace. I made udus (Nigerian pottery drums) out of sparkly micaceous clay. Taos is known for its pottery using clay with naturally occurring granular mica. You can see the various samples clay and mica at the end of the table. New Mexico is clay paradise. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I made a #FaceJug for the first time since 2019 and I’m donating it to the #KaaboClay fundraiser that begins this Sunday. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Remember: Black ceramic artists are also women, non-binary, trans, disabled, chronically ill, low-income, immigrants and more. All of these identities and situations exist within #KaaboClay’s membership and we exist to support them. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Mark your calendars! This is my org’s biggest fundraiser of the year, happening this Sunday. We use funds from this #ceramics sale to support Black ceramic artists globally in the form of an Annual Award. Since 2021, we’ve distributed over $30k toward the goals of professional support, community building and cultural preservation. We are 100% #grassroots funded and rely on individual donations, so #DEI cuts cannot affect us. Check out last year’s awardees: www.kaaboclay.org npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa This is the piece I’m donating for the #KaaboClay Award later this month. It’s one of the first I made after developing my #WildClay #TerraSigillata surfaces. In making this type of work, I feel I’m bringing together my reverence for #nature and admiration of #AfricanDesign elements. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I started this #collective for Black ceramic #artists in 2021 as a response to the murder of #GeorgeFloyd and the resulting, temporary Black business boom of 2020. Hearing predominantly white orgs confess that they were still “listening & learning” made me realize with renewed urgency how much we need our own resources & institutions. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…2wkl She is currently out of jail on pretrial release. She is now facing up to 11 months in a men’s prison. This is her fundraiser link: npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…eedx @nprofile…gk57 I just ordered from them based on your recommendation and unfortunately, the beans, while packaged in cloth sacks, shipped in a plastic FedEx envelope. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I'm sending my Hurricane Vase off to an exhibition running alongside the conference I'll be presenting at in #Virginia in June--which is also when #StormSeason begins again. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Like many, I grew up watching shows like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow and NOVA on #PBS. A couple of years ago, I had the honor of the local PBS station coming to my home studio to film a feature for a program called ArtsPlus through which I've been able to share my love for #pottery and the natural environment with a national audience. Non-commercial and educational, PBS is definitely worth fighting for. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I made this bowl a couple of years ago. I call it a Bird Wave Bowl bc the crest of each wave is the head of a black skimmer. It’s a slightly larger piece and with all of the vulnerable wave appendages, I was too nervous to ship it, so I kept it around and then ended up donating it to Suncoast #Waterkeepers art auction. They work to protect and restore the waters in our region. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa The other remarkable thing about this is @nprofile…7xke said he grew the trees from seed which are difficult to germinate. He says the seeds need to pass thru the digestive tract of a baboon in order to sprout (!!!), so he soaked them in mild acidic and then alkali solutions. He originally had 150 seeds and was down to his last 8 when he finally got them to germinate using this method. #MasterGardener npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Today I met someone from Mastodon who lives in my area and he gave me a bunch of #EdiblePlants including a rare fruit tree—African peach (Nauclea latifolia). #Gardening in FL has tons of challenges but being able to grow #TropicalFruit is the upside. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa My instincts to start making ollas this winter were spot on. We’re experiencing intense drought that began late fall 2024 and this, along with our sandy soils, has made #gardening challenging. Last month, I made this large custom olla to deliver rainwater to my plantain pups. Since then, they’ve steadily put on new leaves. I companion planted sweet potatoes & marigolds beneath the plantains and everything is hydrated & happy, using about 70% less water than surface watering. #OllasByOsa npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Today, my Brazilian mentee taught me about #ovenbirds or joão de barros, birds that build nests of #clay. But it’s not just clay, it’s essentially cob—clay and straw together. It makes me wonder if this is where humans got the idea for cob & adobe. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa This is one of my favorites from the last batch I made. The black is from a manganese-rich clay my friend gave to me in New Mexico, collected from the mountains. The red is also from a NM clay, an iron-rich charcoal gray clay we spotted on the roadside outside of Taos. The dark burgundy diamonds are painted with clay from a beach in Puerto Rico. Lots of memories wrapped up in this piece. #clay #pottery #ceramics #WildClay #handmade #HandmadePottery npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa "So my work is always trying to celebrate the achievement of Africans and the contribution that Africans have made – not just in Africa, just through world culture generally. Some might call it, you know, 'deconstructing the canon'. But I think it's important that all of our voices can be heard and registered." npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa New batch of ollas coming down the pipelines. The repetition of creating these simple forms is grounding, calming. If you haven’t seen my previous posts on these #SustainableGardening tools, check #OllasByOsa. npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa I don’t make many plates, for no good reason, really. For a potter, it doesn’t get much more gratifying than producing a stack of wares that people will use time and time again to nourish themselves. Spirals and radial patterns mimic so much of the natural world from galaxies to sunflowers to primal representations of the sun. #pottery #ceramics #handmade #beautility #FunctionalPottery #crafts npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa Here’s how the scoops turned out. They work really well with my kitchen crocks and the handles feel nice to hold. #beautility #functionalpottery #pottery #ceramics #keramik #terrasigillata npub19k78npxk2d3vw2f30gqhhreyzv4my7ugv9udshjx5yyz6a3v5vxqua0sff Pottery by Osa @nprofile…nm3g @nprofile…5ars I’m much more familiar with the rolled version (it’s what they serve at most Mexican restaurants) but this version looks *amazing*
