Debi Wichman

My name is Debi Wichman and I am a clay artist. I took several art courses at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville during the 1970's and it was there my interest in clay took hold. I worked in the IT industry for 30 years, occasionally taking a course or workshop in ceramics. In 2005 I was gifted a hand made wheel and an older kiln. My interest in clay became an obsessive fascination and for several years I devoted nights and weekends to working with clay and learning about the science of ceramics via research and experimentation. My work is mostly decorative and sometimes functional. Motivation is mostly by nature, though inspiration can come in many forms thru many senses. My work with clay is both hand built and wheel thrown. I enjoy exploring new colors, textures, and effects, coming across many of them through the use and combination of oxides, ceramics stains, underglazes, and glazes. My hope is the claywork may cause viewers to pause and reflect, perhaps wanting to pick up a piece to take a closer look, to explore the surfaces, textures, and shapes within the piece.