Naomi Weisel-Schear
Ceramics
Hi! My name is Naomi (she/her), based in Brooklyn. I am a mom, ER nurse and ceramicist at Clay Space, a community studio. I discovered my love for ceramics in 2021 while trying to balance the intensity of nursing with the demands of raising two young children. Ceramics provided a way to decompress and quiet my mind. I was drawn to the quiet comfort of shaping functional everyday objects.
I am especially captivated by the tactile, meditative nature of hand building—pinching and coiling each piece slowly. This practice has become a ritual of care. And I hope that these crafted vessels will become well-loved objects in others’ homes; reminding those who use them of the enjoyment of connection; to themselves, to each other, to family and to community.
Process
The vessels are hand pinched and coiled on a banding wheel, which is a deliberately slow undertaking. I use a dark clay body and choose glazes that accentuate my fingerprints and other traces of the process. My hope is to bring others in- to delight in the imperfections, to find beauty in what may seem like a blemish. I think that is where the true interest lies.
The mug or bowl is then finally complete when it is used and savored.