Josie Jurczenia’s pots reflect her textile background. They are darted, stitched and stenciled with textile patterns. Ribbon roses that once embellished party dresses have transformed into roses made of clay that create texture on her vases. Josie’s work is a constantly changing exploration of the intersection of functionality and playful design. She shares her light-filled studio space with fellow potters and designers, rae dunn and Christa Assad.
I am a utilitarian potter. My work is all about home and making beautiful usable everyday objects. My career of 30 years working with fabrics and designing clothing reflects in my clay art. I combine more traditional round thrown forms with slab built elements. I rip, dart, pinch and sew the tops to pitchers, vases, tea pots and the like.
My work is perfectly imprecise and it is ever evolving. I am currently exploring the use of repetitive elements in my pieces. These elements can take the form of Indian textile block stamps, hand made stamps, attached roses or patterns created by inlaid clay, anything that creates texture and pattern. I am a firm believer that polka dots can enhance any piece.
Josie Jurczenia Artist Resume
A Timeline:
1972 - Graduated from CCAC BFA Textiles
1973 - Two woman show Woman's Art Center, San Francisco
1978 - Began Sweet Potatoes ( a line of children's clothing) with business partners
Anna Hobbet and Ginny Holmes. We grew quickly from my dining room table to having
over 100 employees. We were repeatedly voted one of the top women owned businesses
in the Bay Area and became one of the most highly regarded children's apparel
manufacturers in the United States. During my years as design director and president
we won numerous prestigious industry honors for design excellence including
6 Earnie Awards, the Dallas Fashion Award and the Atlanta Apparel Mart DIVA
Award
1994 - Bitten by the clay bug after taking a class at the Richmond Art Center
1998 - United Clayworks Garden Show
1999 - 2004 - various open studio sales from my home
2001 - Three Artisan Show with Kirsti Bellows (jewelry) and Diana Fayt (ceramics)
2004 - Retired from Sweet Potatoes to begin potting full time
2005 - Joined Berkeley Potters Guild
2005 - Invited artist -Pots: Objects of Virtue, Bedford gallery, Walnut Creek,
CA
2006 - Accepted into ACGA as an exhibiting member
2007 - Started own studio and gallery - fourth & clay 2390 " C" 4th St, Berkeley,
CA
2008 - Two women show - Alta Bates Hospital Gallery, Berkeley, CA - "We Celebrate
Together"
