The Perfect Mug: Hand To Earth Ceramics

Down To Earth Ceramics

A little while ago I asked my Instagram followers for some help in finding the perfect mug! I got so many wonderful suggestions that I thought I would share them here with you guys. There are some seriously wonderfully talented potters out there, and being a keen (but not very good) potter myself love to look for some inspiration

Down To Earth Ceramic's was one of the first studios that caught my eye. I love the round cauldron shaped mugs, especially the ones with Moons and Crystals on, and the glazes are really beautiful natural hues! These mugs sell like hot cakes so you need need to keep your eye on Deanna Steinborgs shop and instagram if you want to catch one....

You can see more of Deanna's beautiful work on Instagram or her Etsy Store

My name is Deanna Steinborn, and to me, ceramics represents magic, nature, art and the beauty hidden inside small, quiet moments. I had my first encounter with making ceramics in a college course in 2011, and I fell in love. I’d always loved art, but never has something captured my interest so much as playing in the mud. I am currently an artist in residence at a gallery, shop, and classroom in downtown Springfield, MO called Springfield Pottery. I genuinely believe that one could spend an entire lifetime exploring the myriad avenues this art form provides and I'm excited to continue exploring new techniques, various materials, and the endless possibilities of form. 

I am currently focused on creating functional pieces, such as dinnerware, because I love that ceramics bridges the gap between art to be admired and the tactile relationship between the objects we encounter every day. I love the idea that someone wakes up every morning with his or her cup of coffee, spending their quiet moments of the day holding my mug in their hands, exploring the space where my own hands have devoted hours of love and care. These are the moments I am excited to be a part of. 

For my design aesthetic, I have the most fun experimenting with all sorts of decorative techniques. Over all, I love an intricate pattern or texture. I want the eyes, hands and lips to be able to explore the surface of my forms. Most of my patterns are inspired by nature, and I love to incorporate both the symmetrical, ordered aspect of nature as well as the more free-flowing, organic qualities. 

Both the process of decorating as well as forming my pieces has been a form of meditation for me, and I am so grateful to have found my niche. I fully expect for my ceramics to not only grow with me, but to help me grow as I become more connected to the earth, to other people, and to myself.