Claudia Reese

EDUCATION

1971 BA Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut

1974MFA Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1981 Founded Cera-Mix Studio

Claudia Reese's process begins with an earthenware clay slab on which she paints 6 to 7 layers of colored slips applied wet on wet to the surface and then carves through the layers to reveal the multiple colored layers. 

Reese then uses a variety of means to form the pieces that are then bisque fired, and hand glazed with a clear glaze on the body of the object. An opaque black glaze is applied to the bottom or underfoot before the final glaze firing. The imagery she uses is applied with sponges, stamps, and stencils. The patterns are influenced by Latin American, Chinese, African, and Indian patterns and designs.

Reese began producing fine table ware, tiles and architectural elements in her Cera-Mix studio in 1981. At the outset she was filling orders from major department stores across the country. Eventually she began to only do direct sales to customers on her web site and at craft fairs.

In addition to her tablewares, Reese creates sculptures in a range of sizes from table top to full size. This work focuses on stylized animals and the human form.