My story begins in 1994, when on a whim I decided to join a pottery class at the local Dover Art League just after gradating from college. I instantly connected with clay! My instructor must have noticed that spark. She soon after provided me with a key to the studio so I could come and go whenever I found time. Most nights, after work, I entered the quiet studio to practice. Within a few years I acquired a potter’s wheel (the same Brent wheel I use today), an L&L electric kiln (which still fires), and an essential stack of how-to books (Ceramic Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated included). I taught myself making techniques, how to fire an electric kiln, and glaze preparation. I was enchanted by the lives and works of potters I discovered — Lucie Rie, Bernard Leach, Warren McKenzie, Karen Karnes, Beatrice Wood, and George Ohr (just a few of the artists that have inspired me over the years).

A move to Tallahassee, Florida, in 2006, set me on a path to establishing my first working studio in our outdoor shed — my beloved Tally Mud Shack. While my husband, poet Frank Giampietro, attended FSU for his PhD, I was able to care for our children (Dominic and Daphne) while also creating with clay. I discovered a wonderful community while volunteering with art and gardening at my children’s school Cornerstone Learning Community. I gave lessons from my studio and led pottery sessions at  LeMoyne Arts. My home was soon overflowing with pottery to use and to share! With the encouragement of family and friends, I opened my Etsy shop, Ceramic Design by Cherie in 2007. 

After relocating to Maine in 2012, I chose a sunny room of our home to set up my current studio. It is a small, yet inviting space — filled with natural light, stocked with supplies, and works in progress. A cozy mug is still a favorite of mine to make. Sharing my passion for clay continues to provide me opportunities. A am grateful for the local shops that have included my mugs in their collections of artisan made goods — as well as inviting me for pottery pop-ups. I also give private lessons during summer months when I can use my outdoor patio. Last summer, I was delighted to lead a Ceramic Birdhouses Workshop at the Art of Clay Studio at the Paul J. Schupf Art Center in Waterville, Maine.

2024 marks my 30th year of creating with clay! I look forward to this year’s possibilities. I am slowing down just a bit in the studio… but, that allows me more time with every piece I make (which I treasure). With each familiar shape I mold, I recall the happiness that working with clay has brought me — and how it connects me to my family, friends, and the places I've called home.