Jody Wally
Artist Statement
My ceramic work is primarily focused on the sense of volume and presence conveyed by the form. I typically create 'tight' forms, relying on classic proportions and symmetry for their structure. To ensure each piece feels unique and avoids a commercially-produced look, I often incorporate throwing lines, carved surfaces, or freeform decorative elements.
I work with both stoneware and porcelain. For surface decoration, I use slips, underglaze, or repetitive carving. My designs are seldom figurative; instead, I aim for patterns that enhance the original volume without competing with it. While I don't always apply glaze to the exterior, any glaze used is a custom batch I mix myself, chosen specifically to harmonize with both the shape and the surface detail.
Functionality is a key consideration for my smaller pieces, and much of my effort goes into details that ensure a piece not only works well but also feels right. For me, ‘craft’ and ‘art’ are forever intertwined.
Artist Bio
I first encountered clay as a junior at college. After getting my degree I enrolled in the Kansas City Art Institute ceramics program to build my clay skills and to see if life as a production potter was my path. After two more years of intensive study with great teachers, I decided that clay would be a life-long interest, but not my profession. Fast-forward a few decades and I've retired from the tech industry and returned to the world of clay. I'm throwing on the wheel again in a studio at Rain City Clay (Arbor Heights, West Seattle) and loving every minute of it.
Could you say that clay reclaimed me? I think you could.




