"I'm Ready to Hike the Entire Desert" Mug

Each cup is hand-built, starting from a pinch pot. The rough pinched forms are trimmed down quickly but thoughtfully. The cup's interior reveals the initial pinching process, while the exterior is trimmed and smoothed, leaving behind subtle marks.

Grant Program: 

2012 Windgate-Lamar Fellowship 

The Fellowship awards 10 emerging makers each year to ensure their transition from student to working artist.

Bio of Artist: Chicago-based artist Joe Kraft works with a variety of materials.  He earned a BFA in Ceramics from Alfred University. Clay has led Joe down many artistic and professional paths, however, his love for drawing and printmaking is what currently drives his practice in 2024.  "The beautiful part of working with different media," he says, "is that you never get bored". You can find Joe's artwork throughout the Chicago area: as public art and murals, on the beer bottles of local breweries, inside art galleries, and printed on merchandise around Chicago.