Paul Molesky is a studio potter living and working on his seven acres of land in Syracuse, NY. He sells his functional ceramics at fine arts and crafts shows and in select galleries in and around New York State. Art educated at Kansas City Art Institute, with a Master’s of Fine Arts from Tulane University, Paul has been throwing pots and teaching about pots for forty years.
He built his fast fire wood kiln in 1995 because of his passion for the rare and wonderful effects of fire and wood. Not many Potters produce functional ware in this ancient and venerable tradition, but for Paul, the beautiful results are worth the process. Paul teaches ceramics at Onondaga Community College.
I began working with clay during my senior year in college. The flexibility of the material allowed endless possibilities for creating both functional and decorative forms. Those possibilities, along with the pure joy and therapeutic release of getting your hands dirty and pushing around mounds of clay, captured my interest. This interest has endured through years of graduate work, a demanding profession in healthcare, and (along with my husband) raising two daughters.
Originally my work was more traditional, wheel-thrown pieces, When I moved to Oswego I had the opportunity to take some classes at SUNY Oswego with Richard Zakin and Barbara Frye, both of whom helped me explore the process of hand-building with clay, which opened up many more possibilities for my work. Currently I work primarily with mid-fire stoneware and porcelain. I get ideas, information and feedback from fellow potters and customers, which has helped me revise and develop forms and surface decorations. In reality, it’s a never-ending process, which is why working with clay is so challenging and rewarding.
