Joy Tanner
North Carolina

Soda fired white stoneware clay, cone 10
Functional
Teapot:  8.75"w x 5"l x 6"h                                                   
Tray: 12.25"w x 6.5" x 1.5"h                       
Cup: 5"w x 3.75"l x 2.5"h

About the Artist
My childhood in eastern Tennessee was filled with music lessons and exploring the natural world through hiking and camping with my family. I found my creative focus in college when I discovered working with clay, while also deepening my interest in photography and spending time exploring with my camera in hand.
I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, then pursued a Resident Artist position at the Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2007, I established my clay studio near Penland School of Craft in Bakersville, North Carolina.
In 2010, I was awarded a summer residency at the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine. I later served as a Resident Artist at the EnergyXChange in Burnsville, North Carolina, and became a founding member of Mica Gallery.
In 2013, I established my studio, Wood Song Pottery, in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains in Bakersville, NC.
I have been working with clay for the past 25 years, and I still feel an abundant creative energy in my studio. It is rare for me to run out of ideas or inspiration. When I’m not working, I enjoy being outdoors—tending my garden, hiking with my family, practicing yoga, cooking, and playing the piano.

Artist Statement
While I celebrate the harmony of form, surface, and detail, my pottery is most noted for its carved patterns inspired by nature. From the delicate connection of a leaf to its stem to the majestic folds of mountain ranges and the vibrant bursts of color at sunrise, these natural reflections flow into my pots. They create a rhythmic dance across surfaces, evoking images of leaves, spider webs, rippling streams, or sand patterns. Moreover, I explore the profound connection between body and mind through my clay to breathe and gesture, reminiscent of our own bodies—the lines and edges sometimes echoing the form of our body and even the bones.
Whether you're rinsing fresh garden tomatoes at the sink or pausing to admire wildflowers on a hike, embracing the moment is essential. My pottery embodies this present moment awareness, resulting in unique designs that invite exploration and connection, as delightful to use as they are to contemplate. The firing process in my hybrid gas/wood soda kiln brings forth an ever-evolving palette of natural color variations, which I cherish in each distinctive piece. I take joy in crafting functional pottery—mugs, bowls, plates, vases, jars—that blend into daily life rituals. As you cradle a cup or bowl in your hands, my hope is that you feel inspired to infuse beauty, awareness, and ritual into your everyday moments.

*Teapots that are purchased will remain on display in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition, through September 14, 2026.
After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 28, or they may be picked up at the gallery.