Erin Kay Spangler

Spending the first part of her childhood in California, Erin moved to Georgia in the mid nineties where she later attended Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. Through the support of her wonderful family, husband, and daughter, she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 2011 with a concentration in ceramics and photography. After which, Erin quickly settled into her rural home and studio in Fairmount, Georgia.

Using her skills for carving into raw clay, Erin Kay Spangler decided on a career path in ceramics. Surrounding herself daily with her design inspirations (from the nature of her rural home and love for symbols) she transfers her carvings free hand without the use of templates. As often seen throughout Southwestern American Indian Art, Erin exposes the clay by removing the glaze over her carvings, further extenuating the detail while also bringing to the light the beauty in the raw material.

In the fall of 2013, Erin had the honor of being a demonstrating artist at the 2nd annual TAP into clay conference in Marietta, Georgia, where she was able to share her carving into clay skills with others. Over the last year, she has also enjoyed traveling to local schools teaching others about ceramics . Erin hopes to continue to share her talent with others while also pursuing her career as an artist.

Artist Statement

With wheel throwing, I begin a multiple step process in which I transform raw clay into a functional piece of art. My work brings to light the simple beauty of a hand gesture through the carvings left permanently in the clay's surface. Approaching each piece of pottery as if it were a blank canvas, I free hand carve designs without the use of templates. Heavily inspired by nature and symbols found in American Indian Art, as well as many different cultures across the world, I create my designs. These patterns are only further enhanced when the glaze is removed and left in the crevasses of the carvings... where we then return to the natural elegance of the unearthed raw clay.