Artistic Statement
In my working methods and style I attempt to carry on the folk traditions of the past, making pots that are beautiful, functional and lyrical. Â I try to marry these concepts to a contemporary flavor of form, surface and gesture. Â Surface freshness and texture are very important to me as I strive for fluidity and movement in the work.
I am greatly influenced by the forests, streams and mountains of the rural setting in which I reside.  The textures of bark, the movement of water jumping over rocks, the insects flitting about, and the majestic outlines of the mountains – all make their imprint on me.  These bits of nature inhabit my work in subtle ways such as the found pieces of wood that I use to texture the pots, the forms of leaves berries and birds that become my favorite decorations and the movement of ash glazes over the walls of a pot, like tiny flowing streams.  And now that all my work is fired in my noborigama kiln I feel that I am a partner with the actions of the kiln, accepting gratefully the ash, heat and flames that the kiln gifts to my pots.
I am increasingly concerned about the preservation of the flora and fauna of our planet and these themes are finding their way into my work as I add small animals, birds, fish, insects and plant life to my pieces. And always, my pots speak of home, family and close friends sitting down to a delicious meal served in hand-made vessels that reflect the warmth and generosity of the occasion.
Resume
- Beecher Pottery, East Jewett, NY 1989 to Present
- Owner and artisan of Beecher Pottery, located in a rural setting with gas and wood kilns. Â Selling one of a kind and customized lines of pottery to individuals, galleries and shops.
Awards
- Purchase award, L&L Kilns permanent collection 2007
- Prize, “Arts Feastival†Long Boat Key Center for the Arts, LBK, Fl. 2006
- Artist in Residence, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, Fla. 2006,2007,2008,2009
- Grants for New York State Artists 2001, awarded by Craft Alliance of NY 2001
Professional Experience
- Presenter, National Council for Education in Ceramic Arts, Portland, Or 2006
- Dept. Head Ceramics, Sugar Maples Center for the Arts, Maplecrest, NY 2004 to present
- Teaching weekly classes and workshops, planning curriculum
- The Art School at Old Church, Demarest, NJ, weekly classes  1998 to present
- Earthworks Pottery, 1705 First Ave, NY, NY, weekly classes 1998 to 2002
Selected Exhibitions
- “Pictures on Potsâ€, Long Beach Island Foundation for Arts, NJ  2010
- “Under Coverâ€, invitational, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY 2009
- “Yunomi Invitationalâ€, Akar Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa
- Journeys in Clay, Mountain Top Gallery, Windham, NY
- “The Art of Diningâ€, Worcester Center for Craft, Worcester, Ma 2008
- Women With Wood, Â NCECA, Pittsburgh, Pa.
- “Yunomi Invitational†Akar Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa
- “30 X 5â€, Invitational, Akar Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa  2007
- “Drink It Inâ€, Invitational, Worcester Center for the Arts, Worcester, Ma
- “Table Tops,†Invitational, Longbeach Island Foundation for Arts, Loveladies, NJ
- Solo Show, “Recent workâ€, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, Fl
- Solo Show “Recent Workâ€, MT Burton Gallery, Surf City, NJ 2006
- “The Elegant Tableâ€, Invitational, Peter’s Valley Gallery, Layton, NJ
- Solo Show “Recent Workâ€, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, Fl
- “Journeys In Clay†Mountain Top Gallery, Windham, NY
- “Voices In Ceramicsâ€, Invitational, Yager Museum, Hartwick College, NY 2005
- “Family Mattersâ€, Baltimore Clayworks, Md   Jurors: Kirt & Eva Mangus
- 13th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Pa   Juror: John Glick
- Catskill Mountain Foundation Gallery, Juried, Hunter, NY
S. Beecher, page two - “Karen Karnes Invitational†Worcester Center for the Arts, Worcester, Ma 2004
- “Handle It†Invitational, Worcester Center for the Arts, Worcester, Ma
- “The Fire Within† Invitational, Seton Gallery, Univ. of New Haven, Ct
- “Teabowls†Invitational, NCECA, Indianapolis, In
- Ceramics 2003, Guilford Handcraft Center, Guilford, Ct Juror: Susan Peterson 2003
- Pottery Invitational, Worcester Center for Crafts, Ma Juror: Karen Karnes
- Solo Show, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, Fl
- “Made In Clay†National Invitational, Greenwich House Pottery, NY, NY 1997 to 2003
- “The Nature of Wood & Soda†2 Person show, The Clay Place, Pittsburgh, Pa 2002
- 10th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Ephrata, Pa   Juror: Jack Troy
- Functional Ceramics 2002, Wooster, Ohio Juror: Phyllis Blair Clark
- Utilitarian Ceramic National, Baton Rouge, La   Juror: Ron Meyers
- “Winterfest 2001†National Invitational, Baltimore Clayworks, Md 2001
- “Karen Karnes & Friends†National Invitational, Waterbury, Vt 1999, 2000, 2001
- “Reflections On Spring†Solo Show, MT Burton Gallery, Surf City, NJ
- “Ceramics 2001†Guilford Handcraft Center, Guilford, Ct Juror: John Glick
- “The 2000 International Orton Cone Box Show, Baker Univ. Ks
- “USA Craft Today†Silvermine Art Center,  Juried  New Canaan, Ct 1999
- National Teapot Show IV, Invitational, Creedmore, NC
- 7th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Â Pa Juror: Warren MacKenzie
- “Ceramics Monthly International Exhibitionâ€, Columbus Ohio Juried
- “Visual Midras†2 person show, Berger Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pa
- Monarch National Ceramic Competition, Florence, Al  Juror: Michael Monroe 1997
- “Ceramics 1997†Mill Gallery, Guilford, Ct Jurrors: Wayne Higby & William Daley
- “New York State Contemporary Crafts†New York State Museum, Albany, NY
- “Shades of Shino†Baltimore Claywrks, Md  Juror: Malcolm Davis
- 1996 Monarch National Ceramic Competition, Florence, Al  Juror: Toni Sikes 1996
- Ceramic USA 1996, Denton Tx  Juror: Don Reitz
JUROR Â FOR THE FOLLOWING EXHIBITIONS
- “Women with Wood; Three Generations, NCECA, Pittsburgh, Pa 2008
- “30th Annual Earthworks Exhibition†South County Art Asso. Kingston, RI 2002
- “Journeys in Clay†Mountain Top Gallery, Windham, NY 2001, 2002, 2003
- “Vessels Tat Pour† Vermont Clay Center, Waterbury, Vt 1999
- “Vessels  Real & Imaginedâ€Mountain Top Gallery, Windham, NY 1993
PUBLICATIONS
- Susan Beecher Woodfired Pottery, Oct.2005, Catskill Mountain Press, 155 pages
- Clay Times, Vol.13 No.2 March /April 2006; Â Vol 16 No.2 Â 2005 March/April
- 500 Pitchers, Sept. 2006, Lark Books, Terry Guess, Editor
- Kaatskill Life, Fall 2006, Â Vol.21, No.3, Feature Article
- Arts Alive, Greene County Council on the Arts, Catskill, NY Jan. 2005
- The Daily Freeman, Kingston, NY, Nov.17,2005
- The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY, Sept. 30,2005
- The Longboat Observer, Longboat Key, Fl Feb 26, 2004
- The New York Times, Oct. 19,2002
- The New York Times, March 14, 2003
- Ceramics Monthly, Â Jan. 2006; Sept. 2005; Sept 2002; April 2001; April 1998; Oct. 1995
- Clay Times, 1998
- The Art of Contemporary  American Potters by Kevin Hluch, Krause Pub. Aug.2001
- The Best of Pottery Vol.II by Fina & Gustin, Rockport Pub. Nov. 1998
- The Best of New Ceramic Art, Toni Sikes, Handbooks Inc, May 1997
- The Best of Pottery Vol.I by Fairbanks & Fina, Rockport Pub. Nov.1996
WORKSHOPS Â TAUGHT AT FOLLOWING
- West Side YMHA, New York, NY 2010
- Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NYÂ 2007
- Dowling College, Oakdale, NYÂ 2007
- Sugar Maples Center for the Arts, Windham, NY 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
- Touchstone Center for the Arts, Farmington, Pa. 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
- The Clay Art Guild, Sag Harbor, NYÂ 2006
- New Jersey Pottery Guild, Denville, NJ 2004, 2005
- Mud Flat Studio, Somerville, Ma 2003. 2005
- Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, Fl 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Longboat Key Center for the Arts, Longboat Key, Fl 2001 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007
- Peter’s Valley Craft Education Center, Layton,  1999, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009
- South County Art Asso. Kingston, RIÂ 2002
- Long Beach Island Foundation for Arts, Loveladies, 2000,2001,2002
- Interlaken School of Art, Stockbridge, Ma 2002
- Roberson Museum & Science Center, Binghamton, NY 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007
- Truro Center for the Arts, Castle Hill, Truro, Ma 2004
- Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ 2000
- The Potter’s Wheel, Flushing, NY 2000
- Guilford Handcraft Center, Guilford, Ct 2000
- Worcester Center for the Crafts, Worcester, Ma 1999
- Horace Mann Secondary School, Riverdale, NY 1999
- Craft Students League, YWCA of City of NY 1999
- Hudson River Potters Asso. Port Jefferson, NY 1995
- Smithy Pioneer Pottery, Cooperstown, NY 1994
S. Beecher  page  four - Montgomery Potters Asso. Potomac, Md 1994
EDUCATION
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mi. BA 1968
- Ceramic studies with: Camille Billops, Susan Peterson, Kim Dickey, Michael Simon, Michael Boyer, Woody Hughes, Bruce Winn, Karen Karnes, Jeff Oestriech, Warren Mackenzie