Corissa Lynn Helm

Pottery

I am a local ceramic artist in Bremerton, WA. I received my BA in Art and Communication Studies at Albion College and have been creating pottery for over 15 years. I was part of the work exchange program and an instructor at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, a youth ceramic teacher at The Cheltenham Center for the Arts, and have participated in various local art galleries, festivals, and farmers markets.

I am interested in combining my formal art and communication studies education to display different nonverbal cues through my artwork. I create functional ceramic mugs (espresso, cups, and pour-over), planters (macramé, tray sets, and with wood stands), bowls, and yarn bowls with different facial expressions.

My process begins with throwing the main vessel on a pottery wheel, hand-sculpting an expression, an initial firing to cone 04 (1800°F), applying glaze, firing to cone 9 (2300 °F), and some pieces receive a third and final luster firing to cone 019 (1200°F). I use several different clay bodies (porcelain, dark stoneware, and white stoneware) and glazes to give each piece its own personality that tells their story. All pieces are food-safe and any without gold or silver luster are dishwasher and microwave safe.

I create functional pottery with facial expressions because I love creating artwork that makes people happy and starts conversations. I enjoy creating custom pieces for customers who want a piece to look like their partner, brother, mother, grandfather, best friend, late husband, or a mirror of themselves. No two pieces of pottery I create are identical, making each one truly special.