Early Works: A Beginning in Earth and Fire

Early Works: A Beginning in Earth and Fire

By Mary Adele, Sun Sweet Ceramics

My connection to clay began long before Sun Sweet Ceramics came to life. I first touched clay as a child — shaping simple forms by hand in school art classes. In college, during a winter break in 2006, my mom and I spent time in an open studio at the Huntington Museum of Art. I made three or four small pieces there, and though it was brief, something about the experience stayed with me. I remember wishing I could return to it — that quiet joy of forming earth with my hands.

More than a decade later, in 2018, I finally did. I began creating pottery again at the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio, and that’s where my true journey began. The familiar pull of clay returned, but this time with intention — a longing to learn, to grow, and to create something lasting.

The pieces in Early Works: A Beginning in Earth and Fire were made around 2021, during a time when my skills were beginning to refine. They mark the transition from exploration to expression — when I started to discover my own rhythm in form and glaze. Each piece carries traces of experimentation: glazes meeting in unexpected harmony, edges softening into flow, and shapes finding their voice.

With every firing, I learned more — not just about technique, but about trust, patience, and the beauty of imperfection. These works are a reflection of that learning curve, each one a quiet conversation between earth, fire, and the spirit of becoming.

As I continue creating new collections, these early pieces remain close to my heart. They are reminders of where I began — and how, with each turn of the wheel, what I create continues to evolve, never bound to one form, but always becoming something new.

Each piece is handcrafted with care and carries my reminder: you are loved.

— Mary Adele
Sun Sweet Ceramics