I create functional pottery that holds memory. Each piece is shaped by moments from family experiences, childhood influences, and the quiet details that stay with you over time.
My work is deeply personal. I’m not interested in production or repetition. Instead, I approach each piece as a reflection, something that captures a feeling, a memory, or a connection to my past. In many ways, my pottery acts as a series of time capsules, preserving stories that I can return to and relive.
Early influences, like handmade doilies from my family, continue to show up in my work through pattern, form, and texture. These references tie my pieces back to where I come from, grounding them in nostalgia and storytelling.
After living in North Carolina for 14 years, I’m beginning to feel curious about how this place might shape my work alongside the memories and influences of my upbringing.
I create functional pottery that holds memory. Each piece is shaped by moments from family experiences, childhood influences, and the quiet details that stay with you over time.
My work is deeply personal. I’m not interested in production or repetition. Instead, I approach each piece as a reflection, something that captures a feeling, a memory, or a connection to my past. In many ways, my pottery acts as a series of time capsules, preserving stories that I can return to and relive.
Early influences, like handmade doilies from my family, continue to show up in my work through pattern, form, and texture. These references tie my pieces back to where I come from, grounding them in nostalgia and storytelling.
After living in North Carolina for 14 years, I’m beginning to feel curious about how this place might shape my work alongside the memories and influences of my upbringing.
Through clay, I reflect, reconnect, and create objects that are meant to be lived with.
Claudette is the Studio Manager and a teacher at Recovering Clay, but her role goes far beyond the day to day operations of the studio.
She first came to clay in 2018, taking a class with Briggette at ACC alongside friends, simply looking for a creative outlet to balance life. What started as a hobby quickly turned into something more. Claudette and Briggette formed a close connection, and as the studio began to take shape, Claudette became deeply involved in its growth, helping to build not just the space itself, but the community around it.
She was part of the original group during COVID that transitioned into working out of Briggette’s home studio, a pivotal moment that laid the foundation for what Recovering Clay is today. From those early days in a backyard setup to the evolution into a full commercial space, Claudette has been an integral part of every phase of the studio’s journey.
At her core, Claudette thrives on connection. She naturally steps into the role of a spokesperson for the studio, helping people feel welcomed, seen, and part of something larger. Whether she is managing the flow of the studio, loading and unloading kilns, or supporting new instructors, she plays a key role in keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.
Her personal practice began with handbuilding, which eventually led her to teaching. In 2024, she returned to the wheel with the intention of deepening her skills and training as an instructor. Today, she teaches daytime classes, kids classes in both handbuilding and wheel, and helps lead the studio’s summer camp programs.
Claudette’s presence is woven into the fabric of Recovering Clay. She is not just part of the studio, she has helped shape what it has become.
