Mika Seeger

I live and work surrounded by trees and fields, children and animals.  My pottery and sculptural tiles are fired in a wood-burning kiln which requires 24 hours of non-stop stoking to reach stoneware temperatures (2,300 degrees F. or higher).  The action of the flame and the wood ashes on clay and glazes leaves subtle and intriguing effects making all the hard work worth-while.

I have followed clay wherever it has led me, for over thirty years and I expect to continue to play with clay until my creaky fingers can no longer pinch a pot.  I have taught clay techniques of many kinds, sometimes while still learning them myself. 

 Simplicity and attention to detail are important to me in my own work.  In my collaborative group-made murals, I enjoy putting together a collage and thus teasing a cohesive and unified whole out of many creative but disparate parts.  While I enjoy teaching and watching people’s creative inhibitions melt away,  I also enjoy learning and unbending along with my students.

 My favorite mural projects are those in which the tile-makers were also able to participate in the post-production and installation. When mural-makers take part in every phase of the project, they experience a more complete connection to the finished work of art, and may feel empowered to someday make a mural on their own.