samsceram

I’m Samantha of samsceram, originally from Los Angeles, CA, but my pottery craft has grounded me in Boston, Bali, Iowa, and now Brooklyn, out of Clay Space studios. I love working in mixed-media and creating ceramic forms that invite a second look to be understood. Is that fabric? A draped quilt? I sew the rims of some of these slab-built vessels to enhance that illusion.

My practice really took off during the COVID pandemic—my pottery studio in Boston was open 24/7, and I would bike there in the evening and stay into the wee hours of the morning. I had the place to myself! Having that studio space in which to experiment was such an important outlet for me.

My pottery alias, samsceram, is inspired by my global health work—the leader of our country office in Liberia nicknamed me “Sams” when we started working together, and it stuck. I want to pay homage and honor the vital work that ended prematurely due to US foreign assistance cuts through the name.