Jenni Brant ( she/her )

My understanding of beauty is rooted in a rural Midwestern upbringing that emphasizes family, fortitude, and follow-through. My work affirms life and is a reminder to celebrate and commemorate the trivial, the tragic, and the triumphant. These sentiments are infused in the collection of functional pots I create, which are delicate in appearance yet strong and resilient in their design and materials. My symmetrical forms communicate sturdiness and utility with details and design elements that are fragile and at times precariousness, reminding users to handle the work – and life - with care. Luscious glaze surfaces and tactile lace-like slip decoration suggests formal use, though my work is appropriate for everyday domestic life. The pots are individually crafted from start to finish, using the potter’s wheel, draping molds, basic pottery tools, and my hands as the means to make parts that are altered and assembled into complete pieces. The damp green ware is decorated with pigmented ceramic slips and finished with cone 6, food-safe glazes, producing forms, motifs, and colors that challenge traditional masculine ceramics.

Jenni learned the craft of creating elegant utilitarian pottery while earning her MFA at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a BFA at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Her current focus is on creating functional pots, with a delicate flare and supple surfaces, that act as daily reminders to celebrate, appreciate, and be present. She also dabbles in printmaking, mosaic, and craft work. When not making art, Jenni can be found working in the garden, hitting the trails on her e-bike, or supporting community development as the Director of Communications for Greater Dubuque Development Corporation. She, along with her feline fur tribe of Georgia Lee, Claire, George, and Charlie, makes her home in Dubuque, IA.