Sue Tirrell

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Sue Tirrell
Sue Tirrell

Artists Website | IG @suetirrell

Artist Statement
I came to clay as a college freshman, intent on studying graphic design and was won over by the prospect of combining illustration with three-dimensional objects.  My functional pots and sculpture draw inspiration from my life-long experiences in Montana and the West, my love of animals and interest in folk-art, vintage kitsch, western art and design.   I want my work to bring character, spark memory, and promote storytelling while food and drink are being shared.  A narrative lies within each piece that builds and flourishes with time and use.

Sue Tirrell

Biography
Sue Tirrell was born and raised in Red Lodge, Montana; a small ranching and tourist community on the doorstep of Yellowstone National Park. She received an AA from Cottey College in Nevada, MO in 1995 and a BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1997.  She has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT; California State University, Chico; and the Custer County Art & Heritage Center in Miles City, MT.  She has logged hundreds of hours teaching ceramics and multi-media workshops in community centers, college classrooms, convalescent homes and one-room schoolhouses.  She currently lives, works and rides her pony on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Montana’s Paradise Valley.

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Deborah Schwartzkopf

As a studio artist, she makes fabulous tableware that infuses life with purposeful beauty. Deb was inspired by the guidance of amazing mentors along the way. These important relationships fostered her desire to engage and build community through clay. Her adventurous spirit has taken her across the country and beyond to form a depth of experience, knowledge, and a supportive network.

In 2013 Deb established Rat City Studios in her hometown of Seattle, WA. RCS is her home and personal studio, as well as, a creative space for multiple studio members working independently. In 2022 she opened a sister studio, Rain City Clay in West Seattle. RCC is a community art center focusing on experiential learning through ceramics classes of all levels.

With over 15 years of experience, a Master’s of Fine Art at Penn State, artwork included in collections such as the Kamm Teapot Foundation, San Angelo Museum, and the WA State Arts Collection, numerous publications including Ceramic Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Studio Potter Magazine, she has been recognized and honored in her career as a maker.