My story begins in 1994, when I chanced into joining an Intro to Wheel class at the Dover Art League. It was love at first touch! My instructor must have noticed that spark. She soon after provided me with a key to the studio so I could come and go whenever I found time. Most nights, after work, I entered the quiet studio to practice. Within a few years I acquired a potter’s wheel (the same Brent wheel I use today), an L&L electric kiln (which still fires!), and an essential stack of how-to books (Ceramic Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated included). The lives and works of potters I discovered at the local library fascinated me (this was before smartphones, laptops, and Google). Lucie Rie, Bernard Leach, Karen Karnes, Beatrice Wood, Toshiko Takaezu, and George Ohr are just a few of the artists that have inspired me over the years. I taught myself making techniques, how to fire an electric kiln, and glaze preparation. 

In 2006, my family’s move to Tallahassee, Florida set me on a path to establishing my first working studio in our outdoor shed — my beloved Tally Mud Shack. I gave lessons from my studio, volunteered in my children’s arts classroom at Cornerstone Learning Community, and led pottery sessions at  LeMoyne Arts. My home was soon overflowing with pottery to use and to share! With the encouragement of family and friends, I opened my online Etsy shop, Ceramic Design by Cherie, in 2007. 

After relocating to Maine in 2012, I chose a sunny room of our home to set up my current studio. It is a small, yet inviting space — filled with natural light, stocked with supplies, and works in progress. A cozy mug is still a favorite of mine to make, and sharing my love for clay continues to lead to new experiences. I feel very lucky to be on this clay journey these last thirty-ish years. With every piece I make I remember the happiness that creating with clay has brought me — and how it connects me to my family, friends, and the places I've called home.