Ursula Hargens is a studio potter based in Minneapolis. She is also a long-time educator, having co-founded the Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education and participated in the Center for Craft’s inaugural Teaching Artist Cohort. She is a three-time McKnight Artist Fellow, has received grants from the Jerome Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board, and was Ceramic Arts Network’s 2020 Artist of the Year. Hargens earned an MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, an MA in Art Education from Columbia University, and studied ceramics at Nova Scotia College of Art & Design.

My recent tableware explores the fundamental building blocks of decoration–dots and lines. I enjoy the challenge of grouping and playing with this limited palette. As I work, I try to channel the quiet of early morning or evoke the spirit of a favorite historical pot. I love the way a few well-placed decorative marks or dots of color can completely transform the gesture of a piece. I throw using red earthenware clay and brush surfaces with a creamy white slip. Forms are relaxed and functional. I hope my pots will be welcomed into homes and slide into daily use, forming a collaboration between maker and user.