Esther Murphy

Esther is a studio trained potter making mostly functional forms, with the hope that they’ll be at home in your home.

She began working in clay over 15 years ago before moving to Shepherdstown, WV. The move to Shepherdstown allowed her to establish a home studio and drew her into the community of ceramic artists here and in nearby Maryland.

Esther continues to find the infinite possibilities in a lump of clay fun and challenging. Her goal is to make forms that are well crafted, comfortable to handle, and invite frequent use. She believes she's successful if her pots are useful, but also stand on their own as visual objects. She hand-builds and works on the wheel, adding texture and layered glazes before the final firing. She is drawn to traditional forms, altered to add her own touch - a doodle, a lace impression, or a brush stroke.