About The Artist

Lisa Scroggins • Ridgefield, CT

Ceramics • WHOLESALE AVAILABLE • CUSTOM COMMISSIONS

I am well known for my lizard and frog pieces but over the years I have added to my natural world repertoire to include amazing creatures that are beautiful in their other worldliness- octopus's, dragonflies, bumblebees and more. With every piece I make, my intention is to bring realism, yet whimsy to my animals combined with beautiful forms bursting with color and patterns. For 30 years I have exhibited and sold my ceramic creations through juried, invitational, wholesale and retail craft shows. A formal arts education at RISD and Parsons in NYC led to employment in graphics and eventual full time ceramics. My graphics background informs my use of bold colors and patterns and it is my love of nature and continual observations of it that give me a never ending source of joy and inspiration.

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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.

I sometimes sketch my ideas but more often than not I see them in my mind and just set out to create them with my hands using the wheel, my fingers and hands and a few select tools to refine their shapes and textures. I use low fire white earthen ware to create in. Once fired to cone 04, I use commercial colored underglazes that i brush on in 4-6 layers to acheive deep, opaque color and use clear covering glaze over all and fire once again to cone 05

What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

When I am throwing on the wheel, the tactile nature of the material sliding through my hands and becoming what I have imagined is an incredible feeling. I often close my eyes while I throw to totally tune into the information my hands are receiving through the throwing process. Sometimes my eyes can deceive me in throwing a perfect form and it is the physical feeling of the piece that is where the excitement happens for me. I also love that whatever creature I want to create, I can get there with my mind, eyes and fingers as my guiding tools. Sometimes I sketch but more often than not I see what i am going to hand build and as if by magic, the animals come through the clay in my hands.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

I think my consistent use of animals/ insects/ fauna that I can manipulate to appear as if they have appeared on one of my pieces and may at any moment run, hop or scamper away makes my art unique. Each animal is considered in its pose, its turn of its head, a touch of clear glaze on the eye to make it seem like it is in motion. What is unexpected is that i often sculpt lizards and people are surprised that I am an east coast artist vs. a west coast artist.