Dawn Makarios--Potter and Sogn Valley Craft Fair Hostess

I started playing with clay in 1987 as a student with Peter Leach, and never stopped. I have been creating functional pottery for the past 23 years. I enjoy working with stoneware and porclain-like clay. My pots are fired at high temperature using reduction atmosphere from wood and salt to create richness in the clay body. I like to see the artists movement on the surface of the clay creating a rich textural feel to the pot. I also like to teach pottery, share the love of clay and encourage those to know we all have the artist within us.

I am the hostess and co-organizer of the Sogn Valley Craft Fair. The Craft Fair was started over 30 years ago by Minnesota potter, Peter Leach and took place on his farm in the Sogn Valley. In the years following Peter's retirement from pottery, the fair has moved to our farm just east of the orignal location. I have been participating in the Sogn Valley Craft Fair as an artist for over 20 years.

In addition to the Sogn Valley Valley Craft Fair, you can find my work at the Rochester Art Center, The Northfield Arts Guild other art events and galleries in Southeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin.

My art has been influenced by many great teachers including Warren McKenzie, who taught me that functional pottery can be affordable for everyone and Mel Jacobsen, who has been the most encouraging mentor and friend. He taught me anyone can make a pot with a few technical skills and have fun doing it. We upper midwestern potters share a wonderful tradition of pottery camp, called Hay Creek, organized by Mel Jacobsen and Kurt Wild, where fellow potters gather to share ideas, fire kilns and stretch the boundaries of our art with new techniques and glazes.

I live on a farm outside of Cannon Falls, Minnesota. My studio is a renovated grainery and outside I have 2 reduction kilns, one of them for salt/soda firings. I enjoy my supportive husband and family and friends, 3 lab dogs and being outdoors whenever I can.