Brecken Stockmar

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Clay, like the human condition, is malleable. But through time, human intervention, and firings, it becomes a strong, stable form. We start off impressionable, yet through guidance and life experience, humans can become strong and stable entities. At ten years old, I experienced total liver failure of an unknown origin. In and out of the hospital for months, my life no longer felt assured. This time was extraordinarily formative, and while traumatic, the experience shaped me and filled me with meaning. 

Finding art in school gave me an outlet to talk about what mattered most to me. My work highlighted the beauty of our natural world, and then slowly developed into showcasing humanity’s negative impact on the environment. 

I grew up on the edge of a green belt in Bellingham, Washington. After school adventures involved romping around the woods—hiding in ferns, climbing trees, swimming in the creeks and glacial lakes. I'm grateful to still  fuel my curiosity among the tall trees. Humanity continues to damage natural ecosystems to the point of extinction, and my art captures the beauty we are losing. It proffers a lens into the natural world that gave me hope as a child and continues to inspire me to this day.

I work primarily in functional pottery, decorated in black and white sgraffito. After graduating high school, I became the studio assistant at Baker Creek Ceramics in Bellingham. The community I found there nurtured my creativity, and I eventually started teaching classes. After becoming the studio manager,  I purchased Baker Creek Ceramics from Deb McCunn at the budding age of 21.

The world of clay is boundless. I continue to learn everyday and find new ways to express my voice through my art.