"As a potter, I am particularly interested in the crossover between form and function that is found in ancient Etruscan, Greek and Roman pottery. Archeologists have found countless clay drinking cups, storage containers and cooking vessels from earlier civilizations, which tell us what people traded and ate and give us insight into their everyday lives. They also discovered vessels in which artists pushed their skills to create objects that clearly rose above everyday use. In such works of art, the form and surface design unite, creating an object that surpasses its original intent.

It is with this in mind that I set out to create these pieces — attempting to build upon the strength of the classics while creating a modern interpretation. Animals have been added to introduce richness and balance to the design.

I first met Ann Connelly over twenty years ago, when I was the head potter for Burts Cason Inc., a design and manufacturing studio specializing in ceramics in Baton Rouge. I have always admired her aesthetics and the artists she has nurtured over the years, so I was thrilled when she called me in the summer of 2020 and proposed a collaboration. Over the following months over Zoom and texts, we shared drawings and photos of ideas and inspirations. I am proud with the work we have come up with: like all good collaborations, I feel each of us has made the work better. I look forward to seeing where this work will go in the future." - Schall

Schall received his Bachelor of Arts in English literature in 1994 from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. During his last semester, Schall took a pottery class with Karl Borgeson, who was taught by Warren McKenzie of the Minnesota pottery tradition. He continued to take classes and work as a pottery studio technician at the university until moving to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1997. In Louisiana, Schall co-founded a 15-member artists’ cooperative, Studio 801. He also became the head potter for Burts Cason Inc., a pottery design firm specializing in interior design.

When Schall moved to Louisville in 2002, he created Schall Studio & Design, which features wheel-thrown ceramic lamps, dinnerware, and pieces for the garden. All pieces are designed, wheel thrown and custom glazed in his studio in Old Louisville, Ky.—an eclectic area renowned for its 19th century architecture and dedication to the contemporary arts.

J-D Schall