Shikha Gupta

I was born and raised in New Delhi, India where I spent the first two decades of my life.

It always fascinated me to see potters throwing on the wheel, so one day I decided to give it a shot. I went to a roadside potter and told him I wanted to try my hands at clay. Amused by my desire, for it is not everyday people walk up to him, requesting to learn his craft, the potter delegated his nine-year-old son to indulge me. We sat by the busy street and the little boy centered a lump of clay on the wheel for me to play with. Needless to say, I couldn’t make anything that day but the joy of wet clay slipping through my fingers was so enthralling, it took me into a different realm. I knew I was hooked.

A year later I moved to Atlanta, Georgia where I got the opportunity to learn pottery at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center and spent five happy years playing in clay. After moving to Texas in 2003, I established my studio in Round Rock, my own little sanctuary, where I have been playing ever since…

Artist Statement

My artwork is a simple expression of the joy of the spirit. To me, every pot is like a canvas waiting to be decorated so that it can add an element of beauty and joy to someone's day today life.

My pots are predominantly wheel thrown. Once the clay is leather hard, the designs are simply drawn free hand on the pot and then carved or cut through. No templates are used. The patterns are greatly inspired by traditional Indian designs.

My objective is to create elegant functional forms enhanced by elaborate surface embellishment. It is the fine balance between aesthetics and function, which guides me on my evolutionary journey as a potter.