Describe the first piece you made in clay that felt like your own style. I threw pots to keep sane in graduate school. We had a soda kiln, which was my incubator. I made a teapot where I pressed a wood block into the wall then stretched the texture. That was 2007. The rest is history.
What are you inspired by? I’m inspired by fearless makers, artists who are fiercely independent and confident in their direction. I’m drawn most to artisanal vessels that not only hold a space, but also define that space. Poise. Beauty. Strength. Elegance. Balance. These are the traits that win the day for me.
What is your process for finding/designing new forms? Everything begins with a cup. It’s such a natural point of entry. The bar is so low that it’s nearly impossible to feel constrained. Cups are the perfect vessel for trying out new textures. If it works on a cup, I can usually expand it to a larger vessel.
Who are your mentors? Toshiko Takaezu is front and center. Regis Brodie, Leslie Ferst, Kendra Conn, Stan Welsh, and Monica Van den Dool. Lucy Lacoste and Mark Shapiro, too.
Favorite piece in your ceramic collection? Easy call: My two, closed forms from my apprenticeship with Toshiko.
Best piece of advice you ever received? “Don’t waste time on self-promotion. That’s time you’re not spending in the studio…time you’re not becoming a better artist.” —Toshiko Takaezu, 2004.
Best advice you can give to other potters? Let your work be your calling card. Social media is so vast now, so powerful, that great work has almost zero chance of being ignored.
Describe your studio. I took over an old bedroom in our 1790’s, antique, colonial home. It has an attached 6-foot × 10-foot kiln room where my greenware lives with my two kilns. The studio is under 180 square feet and does everything I need, including hosting my large Venco pugmill and a reclaim table.
Best thing about your studio? Proximity, ease of cleaning (because it’s so small), and the two windows.
Wish list for your studio? A stainless-steel pugmill.
Describe a typical day or session in the studio? I often have multiple pots going at once. If I’m in the midst of a prolonged making session, I’ll finish those pots first before allowing myself to make new ones. If I’m beginning a fresh cycle, I’ll start with cups off the hump, and then see where that leads me.
To read more about Ben Eberle’s process, turn take a look at the article Pinstripe Teapot.
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Firing temperature: Cone 10/11
Atmosphere: Wood/soda fired
Surface treatment: Embossed surfaces
Forming Method: Thrown and altered
Favorite tool/tools in your toolbox? Flexible metal ribs
Website: www.beneberleceramic.com
Social media: Instagram @bqeberle
Gallery representation:
Plinth Gallery, Denver, Colorado (www.plinthgallery.com)
The Nineteen Twentytwo, Los Angeles, California (www.thenineteentwentytwo.com)
Describe the first piece you made in clay that felt like your own style. I threw pots to keep sane in graduate school. We had a soda kiln, which was my incubator. I made a teapot where I pressed a wood block into the wall then stretched the texture. That was 2007. The rest is history.
What are you inspired by? I’m inspired by fearless makers, artists who are fiercely independent and confident in their direction. I’m drawn most to artisanal vessels that not only hold a space, but also define that space. Poise. Beauty. Strength. Elegance. Balance. These are the traits that win the day for me.
What is your process for finding/designing new forms? Everything begins with a cup. It’s such a natural point of entry. The bar is so low that it’s nearly impossible to feel constrained. Cups are the perfect vessel for trying out new textures. If it works on a cup, I can usually expand it to a larger vessel.
Who are your mentors? Toshiko Takaezu is front and center. Regis Brodie, Leslie Ferst, Kendra Conn, Stan Welsh, and Monica Van den Dool. Lucy Lacoste and Mark Shapiro, too.
Favorite piece in your ceramic collection? Easy call: My two, closed forms from my apprenticeship with Toshiko.
Best piece of advice you ever received? “Don’t waste time on self-promotion. That’s time you’re not spending in the studio…time you’re not becoming a better artist.” —Toshiko Takaezu, 2004.
Best advice you can give to other potters? Let your work be your calling card. Social media is so vast now, so powerful, that great work has almost zero chance of being ignored.
Describe your studio. I took over an old bedroom in our 1790’s, antique, colonial home. It has an attached 6-foot × 10-foot kiln room where my greenware lives with my two kilns. The studio is under 180 square feet and does everything I need, including hosting my large Venco pugmill and a reclaim table.
Best thing about your studio? Proximity, ease of cleaning (because it’s so small), and the two windows.
Wish list for your studio? A stainless-steel pugmill.
Describe a typical day or session in the studio? I often have multiple pots going at once. If I’m in the midst of a prolonged making session, I’ll finish those pots first before allowing myself to make new ones. If I’m beginning a fresh cycle, I’ll start with cups off the hump, and then see where that leads me.
To read more about Ben Eberle’s process, turn take a look at the article Pinstripe Teapot.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
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