Maureen Davis
Maureen Davis is a potter who works from her studio in Washington, North Carolina.
Maureen was first introduced to clay and pottery in high school. She became a student at Major Studio in Wheaton IL, where she was taught the process to create raku pottery. The tradition and complexity of raku pottery has remained the inspiration for her current creations.
Maureen is drawn to the brilliant, flashing glazes, and the spontaneity of the raku process. Her pieces are simple in form allowing the glaze to make a statement. The raku firing process creates a spontaneous and unique effect for each pot. No two pieces are alike. Maureen’s pottery is wheel thrown, trimmed, and bisque fired in an electric kiln. The pieces are then glazed and fired outdoors in a raku kiln at temperatures ranging between 1500-1800° Fahrenheit. Each piece is then removed with tongs when the glaze is red hot and placed in a reduction bin filled with combustible material and quickly covered to create a reduction environment, starving the piece of oxygen. This causes the unglazed portion of the clay to turn black. Finally, the pot is plunged in a bucket of water to enhance the glaze. At times, horsehair, feathers, and other natural elements are incorporated into Maureen’s work as well.
Maureen attended an alternative firing workshop at John Campbell Folk School and several workshops at Dan Finch Pottery in Bailey, NC. She has shown her work at regional pottery shows in NC. In December 2017, she was invited to participate at the Green Hill Center for NC Arts’ Winter Show, a show to display works from selected artists from across NC. She also had a picture of her raku pottery featured on Ceramic Review Magazine’s Instagram in November 2022 where she was recognized as an emerging artist.
Maureen was first introduced to clay and pottery in high school. She became a student at Major Studio in Wheaton IL, where she was taught the process to create raku pottery. The tradition and complexity of raku pottery has remained the inspiration for her current creations.
Maureen is drawn to the brilliant, flashing glazes, and the spontaneity of the raku process. Her pieces are simple in form allowing the glaze to make a statement. The raku firing process creates a spontaneous and unique effect for each pot. No two pieces are alike. Maureen’s pottery is wheel thrown, trimmed, and bisque fired in an electric kiln. The pieces are then glazed and fired outdoors in a raku kiln at temperatures ranging between 1500-1800° Fahrenheit. Each piece is then removed with tongs when the glaze is red hot and placed in a reduction bin filled with combustible material and quickly covered to create a reduction environment, starving the piece of oxygen. This causes the unglazed portion of the clay to turn black. Finally, the pot is plunged in a bucket of water to enhance the glaze. At times, horsehair, feathers, and other natural elements are incorporated into Maureen’s work as well.
Maureen attended an alternative firing workshop at John Campbell Folk School and several workshops at Dan Finch Pottery in Bailey, NC. She has shown her work at regional pottery shows in NC. In December 2017, she was invited to participate at the Green Hill Center for NC Arts’ Winter Show, a show to display works from selected artists from across NC. She also had a picture of her raku pottery featured on Ceramic Review Magazine’s Instagram in November 2022 where she was recognized as an emerging artist.
