Handmade American ceramic art for the home or to give

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Cheryl Williams

An internationally-recognized ceramic artist, Cheryl Williams' work was selected for the prestigious White House Collection of American Craft and is represented in most ceramic collections. In addition to her elegant, paper-thin vessels, Williams has recently created ceramic sculptures with the same attention to detail and design. Her creativity 

seems to have no bounds as she explores shapes, colors and scale with stunning ceramic pieces mounted on steel bases. 

Nor is Williams bound by her ceramics medium. To make her designs in sizes up to five feet, she learned metalworking techniques! There's no end to her creative talents. Here's one metal sculpture and more can be viewed by clicking "Metal" above.

Ron Artman

The Ron Artman's ceramic vessels depict power and grace. The power of the strong forms and the grace of the fine details are not only design elements, but reflect the creativity of his work. Time spent in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Borneo, Vietnam and the Middle East have heavily influenced Artman's work. 

Jon Oakes

The colors and designs of Jon Oakes' vessels and plates with Raku finishing have made his work very popular with interior designers and ceramic collectors. His small and medium vessels are ideal gifts because they complement a variety of home decors. From beautiful 6" lidded pots to spectacular vessels over 4 feet tall, Jon's vessels and plates are meticulously crafted. He attains brilliant colors that rank his Raku pieces as the best we've been able to find anywhere. 

Remember reading above about an artist not bound by the medium? 

Jon Oakes has added blown glass to his repertoire and has created some exquisite pieces you can find by clicking "Glass" above. Creativity has no bounds. 

Randy O'Brien

The uniquely colorful, crusty finish of Randy O'Brien's ceramic vessels has generated many magazine articles, a display at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and acclaim by other ceramicists and collectors. O'Brien's distinctive finish, made with volcanic ash, has deep fissures lined with glossy black Obsidian. The finish reminds people of lichen, volcanic flats or coral formations. Truly unique, O'Brien's vessels are a worthy addition to any ceramic collection or room decor. His vessels are from 6" to 16" tall.  

O'Brien has now developed the same finish for square tiles and plates that make spectacular wall art. Each square is 12.5" x 12.5" and includes wire loops on the back that enable you to hang it as a square or as a diamond.

The designers for "The Appentice" TV reality show selected an O'Brien vessel for the contestants' suite. We're guessing their budget was big and they wanted to project luxury so they placed the yellow/blackberry vessel on the center table.

Helene Fielder

Innovative designs, rich colors, translucent stones, wonderful textures and fine craftsmanship make each Fielder piece unique. From her mini pots to various sizes and designs up to 53" tall, each is stunning.

Helene's mini Raku pots (left, in front) are popular gifts for $40. They range from 4" to 6" and each is adorned with a cut stone. No two are the same.

 Helen's large pieces are built in 2 or 3 sections that fit together, hence can be shipped. The variety of design and color is tremendous and our inventory changes almost daily, so call about the pieces on hand. We'll describe sizes, colors and prices, then email you photos.

Steve Czerniel

Czerniel creates magnificent ceramic vases with a glistening black finish like no others. The tiles on the front are individually fitted, then removed and fired before mounting on the finished vase. These vases are 4" diameter (about 32" tall), 6" diameter (also about 32" tall) and 8" diameter (about 43" tall). Heights vary (they're handmade, after all) and custom tiles are possible to meet your color needs. Recently Czerniel has adapted the same techniques to create wider, V-shaped vases of similar size.

 And, bigger and bigger . . . this "Organic Tower" is 40" tall.

Anne Goldman's unique hand-carved vessels are rarely displayed in the gallery because most sell immediately to customers on a waiting list. The incredible detail of the hand-carved surface reminds many of coral or tree bark, but these are truly memorable pieces that collectors seek. A Goldman piece adds earthy texture and drama to many different decor themes.  We always have several pieces on order but don't know exactly when they will arrive, so please call for an availability estimate . . . or the waiting list. 

David McDonald

David is best known for what he calls Shield Mandalas. The shape of the shields are inherently organic, their contour made in a cloth sling, a natural arch. “They remind me of a sand dollar, a mushroom cap, a tortoise shell, a shield,” he explains. He pours a many as 7 glazes over one another so when fired to 2,400 degrees the glazes boil and bubble in beautiful, often unpredictable ways. Each piece can be displayed flat or in a plate stand or hung on a wall by the wire loop on the back.

 "Painting with Platters":  A coordinated set of McDonald plates makes a dramatic

Joyce Furney

Joyce has created some wonderful mirrors for us that have her Raku ceramic tiles mounted to a wooden back. We try to keep a few of her mirrors on display in the gallery, but many customers have had her make the size, colors and patterns that best fit their decor.

Janna Ugone

Ugone creates unique lamps that involve innovative ceramics, metal work, castings and stone finishing. Rarely do craft artists venture into so many diverse mediums, but she does it with great skill to design and produce lamps that can, in time, become heirlooms. The Ugone lamps in Pinnacle Gallery are special creations designed to meet the contemporary design standards of gallery owner Joanne Hildt. Working with Jana Ugone, Joanne combined shade designs, finials, chain pulls, stems and bases to create lamps that best enhance contemporary decor. 

Jane Hill

It's easy to recognize the distinctive work of potter Jane Hill. A Jane Hill vase is a drawing that has stepped off the page and come to life. Of hand-constructed porcelain, you notice the outlines of the form, the negative and positive space. This set makes a truly distinctive and spectacular statement in the correct setting. 

At Pinnacle Gallery we feature American craft & art, but occasionally we find work by Canadian artists that we cannot resist. Jane Hill is one of the three non-American artists we represent. The other two are also from Canada.