Artist's Statement

"My work is thrown, altered and decorated with images of birds and the natural world. I continue to be fascinated with the way the wood fire, ash and salt lend their finishing touches to embellish my work. I like to envision most of my work on the table or in the hand to celebrate the everyday ritual of eating and drinking."

Biography

Nancy Smeltzer has been developing her ceramic art over the last 25 years. She was introduced to wood firing and vapor glazing during her ceramic studies at Indiana University of PA. Workshops with Kevin Crowe, Jack Troy, Suze Lindsey, Kirk Magnus and Ron Meyers also influenced her.  In 2000 she established Little Mahoning Creek Pottery in Smicksburg, PA.

Nancy became a bird watcher on her many trips to Chincoteague Island Virginia. Many of her pots are decorated with images of nature and the birding world. She fires her work in a Manibigama wood kiln and a Joe Finch designed downdraft wood kiln with gass assist. In 2011 when her neighbor took down her old barn, she had the wood repurposed for a gallery that sets beside her 1894 house.

In May of 2021 Nancy along with Kyle Houser taught a week long workshop at the John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. It was a wonderful experience with great students.

Nancy became a juried member of the Pittsburgh Craftsmen’s Guild 2000 and in 2012 Juried into the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

To see more work from Nancy visit her Etsy site HERE, Instagram HERE, and her blog, HERE.

Below are samples of Nancy's work: