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Thanks to a culture that's skewed a little too digital and a little too corporate, there's a much needed arts-and-crafts revival under way. And it's created a boom in pottery. Ceramicists are finding new ways to make practical objects like mugs, pitchers, and planters into gallery-level sculpture. Here, our favorite contemporary makers from around the globe, along with two vintage pieces by the late, legendary Willy Guhl.
1. Settlewell | LONG BEACH, CA
Tie-dyed concrete, anyone? Laura Cornman uses handmade molds and pigment blends to ensure that each piece transcends the ordinary. $50-$70
2. Shino Takeda | BROOKLYN
Originally from Kyushu in southern Japan, an area known for its pottery, Takeda playfully blends traditional Japanese forms with the vibrant energy of her new home in New York. $280
3. K&R | LOS ANGELES
Husband-and-wife artists Kat Hutter and Roger Lee make high-fired stoneware that looks good enough to display, but is meant to be used on the daily. $60-$250
4. Akio Nukaga | KASAMA, JAPAN
The Japanese master potter throws clay pots that look like they could be from ancient times. They've been sold and exhibited around the world at places like Heath Ceramics in San Francisco and Merci in Paris. $130-$580
5. Suzanne Sullivan | BROOKLYN
Sullivan’s hand-built porcelain pieces truly blur the line between art and craft—let her gilded, wonky teacups take your morning breakfast routine to a whole other dimension. $60-$70
6. Willy Guhl Planters | ANTIQUE
The influence of this Swiss designer is as mighty as his designs. These indoor-outdoor planters are instant game changers for any room or patio and only get better with the patina of time. $975-$1,200
7. Architectural Pottery | SAN DIEGO
Made by hand in the U.S. since 1950, these strikingly simple geometric planters were favorites among midcentury architects and have been exhibited at MoMA. $270-$1,150
8. Derek Wilson Ceramics | BELFAST
Made on his wheel or hand-slabbed, Wilson's celadon-glazed porcelain and stoneware designs are deceptively simple, with inventive color and geometry that upends expected shapes. $182-$468
9. Robert Hessler | KINGSTON, NY
The freaky shapes of Hessler's hand-thrown pieces are striking enough, but it's the special glazing technique he uses to crystallize the surface that really makes them come alive. $275-$695
10. Heath Ceramics | SAUSALITO, CA
One of California's original potteries and still in the game, Heath makes simple, modern pieces that serve as an ideal entry point for any burgeoning ceramics-head. $26-$122
11. Clam Lab | CATSKILL, NY
By using unique glaze and re-firing pieces several times, ceramicist Clair Catillaz creates primitive designs that look like ancient unearthed artifacts. $60-$350
