Kathy Sterngold
Bio and Artist Statement
Bio and Artist Statement
As a college student, I was drawn to the aesthetics of the Japanese Mingei (folk pottery) movement, which emphasized simple, utilitarian forms over the more ornate styles of fine art ceramics, which often seemed pretentious in comparison. This minimalist aesthetic was embraced by many potters and educators in England and the U.S., and it has been the guiding principle throughout my pottery career. |
Kathy has been a studio potter and art educator for most of her life. She grew up in the small town of Muncy, Pennsylvania, where she learned how to use the potter's wheel in her high school art classes. She’s been wheel-throwing and hand-building with clay ever since.
In college, Kathy studied ceramics and art education, earning degrees from Kutztown and Alfred University. Straightaway, she joined The Clay Studio in Philadelphia as one of its first resident artists, gaining hands-on experience as a full-time studio potter.
A few years later, Kathy moved back to Muncy to care for her mother. She set up a pottery studio in her family's unheated garage and built a large gas-fired kiln on the crumbling foundation of their old chicken coop. She became a frequent exhibitor at art shows and festivals throughout the region, including the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in State College, and the annual events in Lewisburg, Williamsport, Eagles Mere, and Muncy.
During this time, Kathy also taught pottery workshops at the Bucknell University Craft Center and art classes in the Muncy public schools, where she eventually gained tenure as a full-time teacher. She took a break from teaching to raise two sons, but she missed working with students. When her boys became teenagers, Kathy joined the Lycoming College Art Department as an Adjunct Professor, where she taught ceramic art and managed kiln operations for twenty-five years.
Kathy’s pottery has been exhibited at the LH Horton Gallery in California, the Radius Art Gallery in the State Museum of Pennsylvania, the Lycoming College Art Gallery in Williamsport, and other venues. The late Rep. Garth Everett hosted an exhibit of Kathy's pottery in the Pennsylvania State Capitol. On two ocassions, works by Kathy were selected for the “Visions in Clay” Exhibition in Stockton, California.
Until its closing in 2016, Kathy was an active member of the The Eagles Mere Art Gallery, an artist cooperative founded by photographer Terry Wild to showcase the works of Central Pennsylvania artists. She has been a State Juried Member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen for nearly thirty years.
Kathy creates a diverse mix of functional pottery, ceramic art, and contemporary clay. Her works range from large slab-built sculptures and clay figurines to coffe mugs, tableware, and flower vases. She creates strong natural shapes colored by warm earthy glazes, a distinctive style that ties together her diverse body of work.
Kathy’s work is available as it's removed from the kiln and produced in small quantities. For this reason, she does not sell online or make custom orders. You can find her pottery at Patinaz in downtown Williamsport and at seasonal venues throughout the Central Susquehanna Region.
For more information, contact Kathy at [email protected]
In college, Kathy studied ceramics and art education, earning degrees from Kutztown and Alfred University. Straightaway, she joined The Clay Studio in Philadelphia as one of its first resident artists, gaining hands-on experience as a full-time studio potter.
A few years later, Kathy moved back to Muncy to care for her mother. She set up a pottery studio in her family's unheated garage and built a large gas-fired kiln on the crumbling foundation of their old chicken coop. She became a frequent exhibitor at art shows and festivals throughout the region, including the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in State College, and the annual events in Lewisburg, Williamsport, Eagles Mere, and Muncy.
During this time, Kathy also taught pottery workshops at the Bucknell University Craft Center and art classes in the Muncy public schools, where she eventually gained tenure as a full-time teacher. She took a break from teaching to raise two sons, but she missed working with students. When her boys became teenagers, Kathy joined the Lycoming College Art Department as an Adjunct Professor, where she taught ceramic art and managed kiln operations for twenty-five years.
Kathy’s pottery has been exhibited at the LH Horton Gallery in California, the Radius Art Gallery in the State Museum of Pennsylvania, the Lycoming College Art Gallery in Williamsport, and other venues. The late Rep. Garth Everett hosted an exhibit of Kathy's pottery in the Pennsylvania State Capitol. On two ocassions, works by Kathy were selected for the “Visions in Clay” Exhibition in Stockton, California.
Until its closing in 2016, Kathy was an active member of the The Eagles Mere Art Gallery, an artist cooperative founded by photographer Terry Wild to showcase the works of Central Pennsylvania artists. She has been a State Juried Member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen for nearly thirty years.
Kathy creates a diverse mix of functional pottery, ceramic art, and contemporary clay. Her works range from large slab-built sculptures and clay figurines to coffe mugs, tableware, and flower vases. She creates strong natural shapes colored by warm earthy glazes, a distinctive style that ties together her diverse body of work.
Kathy’s work is available as it's removed from the kiln and produced in small quantities. For this reason, she does not sell online or make custom orders. You can find her pottery at Patinaz in downtown Williamsport and at seasonal venues throughout the Central Susquehanna Region.
For more information, contact Kathy at [email protected]
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