Matt Wilt
New York

Stoneware, Salt-fired
Functional
9"w x 6"d x 4.75"h

Artist Statement
In making functional pottery, I try to treat each piece as a condensed sculpture.  The formal combinations of line, mass, balance, skin, volume, and proportion allow for an infinite number of conclusions.  When working with these variables, my goal is to find a composition that has a strong visual presence and emotive impact on the user. Sculptor Joseph Cornell said “Tiny is the last refuge of the enormous”, and I believe functional pots have that same potential for impact. Ultimately, whether a pot is being held in someone’s hands or is sitting on a shelf, I would like its presence to be felt.

About Matt
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Matt Wilt received his Bachelor’s degree in Ceramics and Art Education from Penn State University.  After completing undergraduate school, Matt worked for two years at an architectural terra cotta restoration firm where he began to work more extensively with plaster molds and imitative glaze surfaces. Matt completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at Ohio University, in Athens.  He was then awarded The Evelyn Shapiro Foundation Fellowship through The Clay Studio in Philadelphia.  While working as a resident artist at The Clay Studio, Matt continued showing his work and taught at several universities and art schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, Moore College of Art & Design and Arcadia University.
Matt has been the recipient of numerous awards and is currently the Area Head for the ceramics program at Skidmore College.

*Teapots that are sold must remain on display in the gallery as part of the exhibit until the show closes on September 10, 2023.  After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 26 or available for pick-up at the gallery.