Rita Wiley

I have spent my years since retiring from teaching developing my passion for working with clay. I started making pottery over 40 years ago because of my fascination with the limitless possibilities in clay for creating shapes that can be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. I strive to create pieces with strong, simple lines that show the plasticity of the clay. I hope people will enjoy using my pottery every day.

My pieces are formed on a potter’s wheel or hand-built from slabs or coils of clay. At times, a combination of these techniques is used to create the form.  Surfaces of the resulting pieces can be left smooth, or can be textured which is often influenced from observing textures in nature.  I am continually fascinated by the marks left when I touch the clay.

I am inspired by nature, other potters, and by the clay itself.  Each piece evolves from the pressure of my hands and the reaction of the clay to my touch.  My desire is to make pottery that reflects the calm serenity I feel living in a rural setting near Bear’s Mill in Greenville, Ohio.