Samantha Braun was born in Bel Air Maryland and grew up in Rising Sun Maryland. She grew up making crafts and playing in the mud. Her Mom introduced her to the elements and principles of design which made her designs stronger. Sam was introduced to ceramics when she had to switch art classes in high school and ceramics was the only class available. She is currently pursuing an Associate of Fine Arts in Art and Design at Cecil college and plans to attend Salisbury for her Bachelor in Fine Arts. Drawing inspiration from nature, she incorporates motifs, textures, and colors reflecting when designing her forms. Focusing on how the user will interact with a piece, Sam creates unique pieces designed to fit the person’s life it will be in. Sam uses the pottery wheel to make functional pieces.
Her work has been exhibited in a number of shows. In Rising Sun high school Sam’s work was exhibited in their spring show from 2015-2019. She was featured in the Art and Design Student Exhibit at Cecil College in fall 2019, spring 2020, fall 2020 and currently is showcasing her Capstone Exhibit in spring 2021. Sam was recognized by the faculty in the Fall 2020 Art and Design Student Exhibition for her work Scuffle.
Inspired by those who will use the forms, I design pottery with function in mind. I think of who may use the piece and how they will interact with it day to day. How will it feel to hold in their hands? Where will sit in their house? How will the viewer connect with the work in their daily lives?
She begins by centering the clay. This meditative process involves pushing the clay into the center of the wheel and is followed by opening the form and pulling the walls into the form I want. Once the shape is established, I refine the form and finalize the details. I step back, review the silhouette of the form and make necessary adjustments with wooden or rubber ribs to reach the desired shape. I choose forms based on where they may be placed within a living space. In addition to form and aesthetics, I concentrate on the wall thickness, surface texture, and making sure functional pots feel good to the hands and lips. I want the user to connect with the work in a meaningful way.
Clay has the ability to respond to the nuances of a touch opening up possibilities for creativity and exploration. Forgiving to work with and durable for everyday use, stoneware clays allow me to experiment with form and decoration with confidence. When the work comes out of the kiln, She chooses glaze colors that accentuate the forms and their surface texture. She often chooses glossy glazes with a cool palette.