Deena Schroeder-Sears

Idle Hands Pottery

"Nature has been my constant inspiration in every medium I have touched. Clay is my current passion and creating vessels that explore my love of the natural world is very fulfilling to my artist heart."

Artisan-crafted pottery is a special thing, and the tradition of making high-quality, beautiful, handmade vessels that will last many lifetimes continues at Idle Hands Pottery. Deena’s extensive background in fine art is evident in the high level of technique and use of decoration showcasing her love of nature, particularly animals and plants.

Deena primarily throws forms on the wheel and then enhances them with sculptural elements and interesting surface decoration techniques. She uses clay in two different varieties: a brown speckled stoneware and a white stoneware. Finishing glazes are created from scratch with a focus on being durable and food-safe.

Deena’s artistic life started at a young age while helping her mother who was a stained glass artist. She earned a BFA at the American Academy of Art, Chicago, and has worked in several creative fields, including graphic design, film and video graphics and editing, teaching high school art, and fine art painting. Working in clay is a culmination of her prior experiences with the added challenge of creating art that is three dimensional and functional.

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