Artist: Laurie Caffery Harris
Laurie Caffery Harris, NORTH CAROLINA
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Bio
Laurie Caffery is a ceramic artist and illustrator. She grew up in Boone, North Carolina, a small town surrounded by the peaks and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Encouraged by my creative parents, she spent her childhood enthusiastically exploring different mediums, primarily painting and drawing.
Laurie received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art with an emphasis in ceramics from Appalachian State University in 2014. Since then, she has continued to embrace every opportunity to progress her craft.
Her artwork is exhibited and collected nationally and internationally. Laurie creates her narrative-driven, decorative ceramics from her studio in Asheville, North Carolina. When she isn’t making art, she’s probably spending time outside with her husband, son, and dogs.
Statement
Having grown up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I learned to associate the peaks and valleys with my father, who taught me the names of the bright blue ranges and how to find healing in the landscape. My mother, a painter, encouraged me to pursue drawing as a guiding tool through the anxiety I experienced as a child. These grounding practices of spending time outdoors and working with my hands were gifted to me by my family. Today they manifest themselves in my work.
My illustrations draw from personal experiences, my home, popular culture, and nostalgia. I explore concepts of whimsy through playful narratives of reality and imagination. By using functional ceramics as a vehicle, I strive to elicit comfort, joy and sentimentality. I want the user to feel as if they could jump within one of my scenes and be right at home.
CV
Education
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
BFA degree in Studio Art with an Emphasis in Ceramics, 3.76 GPA
Awards, Publications and Presentations
Demonstrating & Presenting Artist, North Carolina Potters Conference, North Carolina Pottery Center,
2024
“The Power Of Uniqueness with Laurie Caffery”, The Create and Thrive Podcast with Jess Van Den,
2024
“Stories and Insights: Meet Laurie Caffery”, Interview with Canvas Rebel, 2024
Feature, “Studio Visit” in “Ceramics Monthly”, 2024
Feature, “Asheville Made Magazine” highlighting “Vessels of Merriment”, Lauren Stepp, 2023
Feature, “The Laurel” highlighting “Vessels of Merriment”, 2023
Illustrator, “Marvin The Mini, The Barnyard Bully” Children’s Book, Debbie Morgan Harris, 2021
Featured Artist, “Amazing Glaze Recipes and Combinations: 200+ Surefire Finishes for Low-Fire,
Mid-Range, and High-Fire Pottery” by Gabriel Kline, 2021
Featured Artist, “The Beginner's Guide to Wheel Throwing: A Complete Course for the Potter's Wheel
(Volume 1)” by Julia Claire Weber, 2021
The East Carolinian, “Ceramic artists share experiences” by Hannah Bolick, 2020
The Dr. Judith Temple Scholarship, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 2019
Featured Artist, “Amazing Glaze: Techniques, Recipes, Finishing and Firing by Gabriel Kline”, 2018
Regional Artist Project Grant Recipient, Toe River Arts Council, 2017
The Dr. Judith Temple Scholarship, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 2017
Friends of Arrowmont Scholarship, Arrowmont School of Craft, 2015
Office of Student Research Grant Recipient, Appalachian State University, 2014
Eva H. Burress Memorial Scholarship, Appalachian State University, 2013
Deans List, Appalachian State University, Spring 2013- Fall 2010
Invitational Shows
“The Perfect Pour”, ClayAKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA, 2025
“The Thanksgiving Table”, ClayAKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA, 2025
“Wintertime”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2025
“Cup, The Intimate Object XI”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2025
“Material Mugs X”, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN, 2025
NCECA Expo Hall, Northern Clay Center Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT, 2025
“Hurricane Relief Fundraiser Exhibition”, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN, 2024
NCECA Expo Hall, Odyssey Clayworks Gallery, Richmond, VA, 2024
“Cup, The Intimate Object XX”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2024
“Material Mugs IX”, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN, 2024
“Vessels of Merriment”, Grovewood Gallery, Ashevile, NC, 2023
“Wild Places”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2023
“STEEP: A National Teapot Exhibition”, Princeton Arts Council, Princeton, NJ, 2022
Featured Artist, Artaxis.com, January-March 2022
“Next Generation: Potters of WNC”, Mars Hill University’s Weizenblatt Gallery, Mars Hill, NC, 2021
“Our lives in Clay II”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2021
Featured artist, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, June 2021
“Winter Show”, Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, Greensboro, NC, 2020
“Our Lives in Clay”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2020
"Cup, The Intimate Object XVI", Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2020
"Summer is Served: Plates", Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2020
“2020 Yunomi Invitational”, ClayAKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA, 2020
“Cup: The Intimate Object XV”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2019
“2019 Yunomi Invitational”, ClayAKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA, 2019
“The Functional Canvas IV”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2019
“Winter Show”, Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, Greensboro, NC, 2019
"2018 Yunomi Invitational", ClayAKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA, 2018
"Ten Years of Applachian State Ceramics", Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM), Blowing
Rock NC, 2018
National Juried Exhibitions
“Adorned”, The Clay Center of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, 2019
“Nasty Women and Bad Hombres”, Clayspace Gallery, Asheville, NC, 2019
“Cup: The Intimate Object XIV”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, 2018
“Material Mugs III: UNDERGLAZE”, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN, 2018
"Second Annual Mug Show", Eye of The Dog Arts Center, Dog's Eye Gallery, San Marcos, TX, 2018
"The Cup, The Mug 2017", Main Street Arts Gallery, Clifton Springs, NY, 2017
"Cup: The Intimate Object XIII", Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL, Group Exhibition, 2017
"Nasty Women", ClaySpace, Asheville, NC, Group Exhibition, 2017
“Boundless: Senior BFA Exhibition”, Smith Gallery, Boone, NC, Group Exhibition, 2014 3
“Echoes”, Looking Glass Gallery, Boone, NC, Group Exhibition curated by Kate Bennett, 2014
“Art Expo”, Smith Gallery, Boone, NC, Group Exhibition Juried by Cora Fisher, 2014
“Gratitude no. 5” and “Gratitude no. 6” selected for publication in the online edition of The Peel:
Literature and Arts Review, Spring 2014
“Gratitude” selected for publication in the 2013-2014 print edition of The Peel: Literature and Arts
Review, Spring 2014
“Art Crawl”, Yosefa AntiquiTea, Boone, NC, Group Exhibition, 2013
“An Exploration in Clay”, Looking Glass Gallery, Boone, NC, Group Exhibition, 2013
“Art Expo”, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Boone, NC, Group Exhibition Juried by Nancy Sokolove,
2013
Gallery Representation, Mountain Girl Gallery, 2013
“Junior Art Major Creates Symbolic Pottery”, The Appalachian February 2013 Edition, written by Lovey
Cooper, 2013
“Symbiosis no. II” Selected for publication in the online edition of The Peel: Literature and Arts Review,
2013
Residencies
Long Term Artist in Residence, Odyssey Clayworks, April 2017 - 2019
Summer Artist Resident, Odyssey Clayworks, June 2016 - August 2016
Teaching Experience
Workshop Presenter, East Carolina University Ceramics Guild, 2020
Instructor, Odyssey ClayWorks, Asheville NC, 2016-Present
Assistant to Karen Newgard, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, Summer 2018
Instructor, Art of Living Retreat Center, Boone, NC, 2016
Teaching Assistant, Beginners Throwing with Lisa Stinson, Appalachian State University Clay Area,
2013
Gallery Representation
Gallery of the Mountains, Asheville, NC, 2019-Present
Odyssey ClayWorks Gallery, Asheville, NC 2017-Present
Carlton Gallery, Foscoe, NC 2016-Present
Related Work Experience
The Bright Angle Studio, Asheville, NC, Marketing Manager, 2016-2019
Odyssey Clayworks, Asheville, NC, Studio Assistant, 2016-2019
Art of Living Retreat Center, Boone, NC, Clay Studio Manager, Clay Teacher, 2015-2016
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Boone, NC, Gallery Ambassador, 2012-14
Appalachian State University Clay Area, Technical Assistant, Kiln Room Supervisor, 2013-14
Appalachian State University Clay Area, Teaching Assistant, Beginners Throwing with Lisa Stinson, 2013
Appalachian State University Clay Area, Technical Assistant, Glaze Room Assistant, 2013