Biography
Gina DeSantis is a Cleveland based ceramic artist. She holds a B.A. from Cleveland State and a M.F.A. in ceramics from Kent State University. She works in stoneware and porcelain clay creating functional, handmade pottery for the home and daily life. She teaches adult pottery courses at Art House located in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition she teaches children's courses in clay, painting, and mixed media.
Her work continues to revolve around the parallel of making objects and the ritual of their use. It is clear that the interaction between objects and their environment plays a central theme in her body of work. Her work seeks to balance beauty and function. It is fluid in texture and pattern yet maintains its simplicity and elegance with often monochromatic glazes.
Process
I bisque fire my work to cone 06. I work with both stoneware and porcelain to create contemporary pottery. I glaze fire to cone 5. Both firings are done in an electric kiln. I like to keep the glazing process simple usually combining only two colors. I enjoy rich, saturated glaze colors combined with simple neutrals. Currently I have been working with wax resist and stains to create patterning on portions of the surface. The majority of my work is wheel thrown. My trays are handbuilt and I occasionally combine wheel thrown elements. I also add printmaking elements to my work by create lino cuts I use as large stamps. I enjoy using fine art elements in creating utilitarian ceramic objects.
