Julie Miller

Location

Phoenixville, PA

What makes your artwork unique?

Pottery is a medium that can take you in so many directions. Once you know the basics it gives you the chance to experiment and explore so many different techniques from shape and forms, decoration, glazing techniques and pots that are functional versus sculptural. My pieces are thrown on the potter's wheel and then I hand apply each design using a technique called slip trailing. I have also developed my glaze pallet from years of experimenting with different combinations that are now recognizable to my work.

Why is sustainability in art important to you?

Ceramics as a medium definitely takes its toll on the environment. While clay can be found and dug from river beds and doesn’t require too much for excavation, glaze materials are definitely a different story. Right now there isn’t an alternative way of manufacturing those materials so I do my best to source my materials locally to reduce my impact on the environment.

What do you do to give back to your community?

One way that I give back to my community is donating pieces to fundraisers for local schools and organizations.

What do you hope your art inspires in others?

I have always loved the idea of my pieces being functional and used in someone's everyday life. Art doesn’t have to just be something beautiful that hangs on the wall to look at and ceramics has a long history of being utilitarian. I hope that my work inspires people to not only surround themselves with beautiful things but to use them as well.