Kate Waltman
North Carolina
Local stoneware clay w/slip, wood-fired w/salt
Functional
10.25"w x 6.25"l x 6.5"h
About the Artist
Kate Waltman graduated from Alfred University in 2010 and has been making pots in Seagrove ever since. Kate’s pots are made using local materials, boldly carved with organic patterns inspired by Art Deco design, and fired in a variety of atmospheric kilns. She is the owner and co-founder of The Triangle Studio, which houses several artists studios and a collective gallery. Kate shows her pots internationally and has lectured and taught throughout the USA.
Artist Statement
Working with the traditional tools of a potter’s wheel and a wood‑burning kiln, I transform local clays into objects of beauty and desire. I work in cadence with tradition to bring ceramic objects into the modern age as both functional and decorative pots.
My vessels begin as raw local earth diligently processed into clay, slips, and glazes. This severe limitation of materials gives structure and freedom to my making, allowing me to fully explore the subtlety and character of each variant as I compose a body of work.
I begin the surfaces by carving an underlying armature of lines that stick to the bones of my forms, providing an arbor on which to cultivate patterns. Precise incising illustrates the surrounding flora, depicting the constraint of wild plants into domestic gardens. Through extensive drawing, I hone a plant to its essential silhouettes, using the resulting motifs to structure my forms with symmetrical balance. Rhythmic ordering overtakes the capriciousness of nature just as the form of a domestic pot masters the feral clay.
The pots, damp and raw, are committed to a kiln. The earth joins with the fire’s erratic atmosphere, regaining a bit of its wildness, and fusing with the patterns.
*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.
About National Teapot Show XIII
Cedar Creek Gallery's National Teapot Show XIII is an invitational event featuring teapots crafted by artists from across North America. More than 200 hand-crafted teapots created using a broad range of materials - including pottery, glass, wood, fiber, and mixed media.
Teapots in the show come in all shapes and sizes! Some are functional - just right for your daily cup of tea, while others are created as sculptural teapots.
Every teapot in the show is available for purchase.
All teapots will remain on display (including those already sold), both online and in the gallery, through September 14, 2026.