Lindsay Oesterritter is a full time studio potter and a native of Louisville, KY who currently lives in Manassas, VA with her husband and two children.

She received her BA from Transylvania University, her MA from the University of Louisville and her MFA in ceramics from Utah State University. She was Assistant Professor of Art at Western Kentucky University from 2009 to 2015. Lindsay was an artist in residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN and in Australia at Strathnairn Arts Association. Lindsay is also the co founder and organizer of National Clay Week and member and co founder of Objective Clay. She continues to be at the forefront of the wood fired ceramics community and has taught or led workshops around the country and overseas.

The first thing that you notice about Lindsay’s work is how dark the clay is. This is the result of a technique called reduction cooling. This process alters the surface of the clay, trapping additional levels of carbon into the clay surface, turning the clay a dark metallic black. Upon closer inspection, this isn’t an uniform surface, but, instead, a rich and varied palette of grays, iridescent oil spot and flat blacks.

Lindsay’s forms are inspired by the byproducts of industry. Not the objects created in the factories, but the evidence left behind by those objects. The wear and tear on the exterior, the patina of age, the pattern of wear on an old well used tool are evident in her surfaces.

During the 2017 NCECA conference she was asked to make work for a fine dining experience during the collector’s tour. Her work was paired with bright, delicate food from one of the chefs and this plating altered her perception of the interplay between the black clay and brightly colored fruits and vegetables. This new insight, in turn, led to the creation of her spice servers and other forms.

Most of her forms are unglazed in a traditional sense. The bare clay is glazed by the ash deposited on the surface during the process of wood firing. These surfaces elude to industrial structures and are reminiscent of old factories that have seen brighter days. The quiet of her forms allows for the viewer to pause and contemplate the subtle variations of the surface of the form. This quiet is also a reflection of Lindsay’s own sensibilities. Her works demands the viewer to slow down, to investigate, to look closer and see the uniqueness of each object.

We are looking forward to seeing Lindsay again this year at SXPF.

To see more of Lindsay’s work visit www.loceramics.com