Anna Szafranski

medium: Pottery

My name is Anna Szafranski and I’m a ceramic artist in Midland, Michigan. I graduated from

Central Michigan University in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic

Design. Growing up art was always more of a hobby, and I never thought it would become a

passion, or that it would someday be something I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. 

While working towards a degree in graphic design, I unexpectedly stumbled into the amazing

world of ceramics, and I’ve officially had my hands in clay for almost 14 years. The moment

after my first attempt at throwing a pot on the pottery wheel I knew I was hooked. The initial

struggle it presented challenged and pushed me in a direction I never saw coming, and there was

no going back. It is clay’s versatility that continues to attract me because of all the possibilities

that it possesses, but I’m most interested in making utilitarian pieces that function in our daily

life. I enjoy making objects that can be held, touched, used and enjoyed. I’m intrigued with how

the different forms and shapes function in a variety of ways and how those factors alter peoples’

interaction, or reaction, to them.

Over the course of 13 years my work has changed, evolved, and changed again. The pottery

wheel is my go-to technique, but most of my work has both wheel thrown and hand-built

elements. My current work is a mix of simple, clean, and modern, with a few rustic elements.

The surface is created by transferring the color from a piece of newspaper onto the piece, like a

temporary tattoo. Texture is added to specific areas, and a black wash is applied and then wiped

away to give the piece that rustic finish.