I am curious about America’s cultural conceptions of the “everyday, functional object” and find myself wanting to playfully challenge those notions within the parameters of pottery. While my work aligns itself with the detail, sophistication and beauty of a bygone era, my desire is to evoke an air of 21st century, daily extravagance. I question the seeming incompatibility that seems to exist in our current consciousness between function and adornment, and challenge myself to make the connection.

Some of my recent work plays with the idea of vintage lingerie as architecture —allusions to intimacy through detail defining form. So I am utilizing the culmination of formal elements and aspects of allusion of corsetry and garters to express sensual softness. My flower boats and vases suggest beauty holding beauty and my boxes, intimacy holding the intimate.

In addition to clothing (Elizabethan to couture), pattern and metalworking from a range of time periods, places and cultures, have also long been influences in my work. I use accent and repetitive patterns to compliment or define the form. Patterning ideas come from fabric, jewelry, architecture and more. Brass, silver and pewter forms—Islamic to American—offer me suggestions for form, function and surface. My choice of monochrome color for the pots relates to these metal objects; the simplified color allows the pattern to coexist with and not dominate the form.

Form, function and ornamentation are of equal importance to me as a potter. I am ultimately interested in formal investigations of line and detail to define form for functional pots.

Current Positions
’03 to present Studio Potter & Charter Member, The Fire Works Clay Studios, Worcester, MA
‘01 to present Ceramics Instructor, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA

Education
1998-2001 Ohio University, Athens, OH
Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics, Summa Cum Laude
1993-1995 New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics, Magna Cum Laude
1990-1993 Montgomery College, Rockville, MD
Associate Art Degree in Studio Arts with Honors

Workshops & Lectures
2006 (scheduled)
Hambidge Center for the Arts, Workshop Instructor/One Week, Rabun Gap, GA
Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts, Workshop Instructor/One Week, Asheville, NC
2005 Mendocino Art Center, Workshop Instructor/One week, Mendocino, CA
Ceramic Supply Craft Education Center, Workshop Instructor/One-day, Lodi, NJ
Fort Hays State University, Visiting Artist/Two-day Workshop, Hays, KS
NCECA Conference, Gender & the Vessel Panel Participant, Baltimore, MD
Kansas State University, Visiting Artist/Two-day Workshop and Crits, Manhattan, KS
Emporia State University, Visiting Artist/One-day Workshop & Lecture, Emporia, KS
2004 Georgia State University, Visiting Artist/Two-day Workshop and Crits, Atlanta, GA
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Workshop Instructor/One week,
Gatlinburg, TN
2003 92nd Street Y, Workshop Instructor/Two-day Workshop, New York, NY
Napa Valley College, Visiting Artist/One-day Workshop, Napa Valley, CA
2002 University of Hartford, School of Art, Visiting Artist/Lecture & Demo with Alleghany
Meadows, Hartford, CT

Published & On-line Mention
2006 Encyclopedia of Ceramic Artists. ed. Steven Goldate (scheduled release Spring ’06)
2005 500 Cups: Ceramic Explorations of Utility & Grace. Lark Books: Random House Press,
pp. 15 & 344 (images)
2004 “Starting Out” article series, by Kristen Kieffer, et al, Studio Potter, December Vol. 33, No. 1
“Of Mind & Body: The Work of Kristen Kieffer”, Critical Ceramics, by Forrest Snyder, Nov/Dec,
www.criticalceramics.org, (article and images)
Making Marks: Discovering the Ceramic Surface. Robin Hopper. Krause Publications. p. 120
“Artist of the Week”, Ceramics Today, www.ceramicstoday.com, week of Nov. 9 (images)
“Gallery”, Ceramic Review: International Magazine of Ceramic Art & Craft, Jan/Feb, Issue
205, p.16 (image)
2003 “Emerging Artists 2003”, Ceramics Monthly, May issue, Volume 51, Number 5, p. 74 (image)
“Kristen’s Secret: The Lingerie Connection”, Clay Times, by K. T. Anders, Jan/Feb,
Volume 9, Number 1, pp. 16-19 (article and images)
2002 “Old Church Cultural Center 28th Show”, Ceramics Monthly, by Judy Schaefer,
December issue, Volume 50, Number 10, p.53 (image)
500 Teapots: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Design. Lark Books:
Random House Press, pp. 271, 404 & 411 (images)
“The Gallery”, Clay Times, March/April, p. 40 (image)
2001 The Art of Contemporary Pottery. Krauss Publications, p. 87 (image)
2000 “A Touch of Porcelain", Clay Times, by Susan Filley, May/June, pp. 25 & 50
1998 The Ceramic Design Book: A Gallery of Contemporary Work. Lark Books, p. 26 (image)
“Monarch National Competition”, Ceramics Monthly, April issue, p. 37 (image)

Professional Experience
2003 Resident Artist, Guldagergård, Museum of International Ceramic Art,
Skælskør, Denmark
2001-2003 Workshops Coordinator & Resident Artist,
Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA
2001 Workshop assistant to Brad Schwieger, Summer session, Penland School for Crafts,
Penland, NC
1998-2001 Teaching Associate & Assistant, Ohio University, Athens, OH
1997-1998 Resident Artist, Ceramics Instructor, Gallery Assistant, Visiting Lecturer,
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and Sevier County Schools, TN
1996-1997 Assistant to John Glick, Plum Tree Pottery, Farmington Hills, MI
1995-1996 Pottery Intern, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI

Select Exhibition Record
2005 NCECA Invitational Exhibition, Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Eight Women: Eight Perspectives, Red Star Studios, Invitational, Kansas City, MO
The Box, Santa Fe Clay, Invitational, Santa Fe, NM
Functional Ceramics Exhibition, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Invitational, Fort Wayne, IN
Teapots, Charlie Cummings Clay Studio, Ceramic Invitational, Fort Wayne, IN
The Contemporary Cup, LillStreet Art Center, Invitational, Chicago, IL
Gender & the Vessel: Perceptions of Masculinity & Femininity, Ceramic Invitational,
Craig Flinner Contemporary Gallery, Baltimore, MD (NCECA)
Three Person Show (title TBA), LillStreet Art Center, Invitational, Chicago, IL
13th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster Museum of Art, JUROR: John Glick, Lancaster, PA
Cross-Currents, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Gallery, Ceramic Invitational, Sewanee, TN
2004 30th Invitational Pottery Show & Sale, Old Church Cultural Ctr., Demarest, NJ
Small Treasures, Lill Street Art Center, Clay Invitational, Chicago, IL
All Fired Up, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, Invitational, Dunedin, FL
Forms & Shapes: The Box, AKAR Gallery, Juried Ceramic Exhibition, JUROR: Maren
Kloppman, Iowa City, IA
Six Potters By the Sea II, Stewart-Kummer Gallery, Ceramic Invitational, Gualala, CA
Butter Dish, Odyssey Gallery, Clay Invitational, Odyssey Ctr. for Ceramic Arts, Asheville,NC
A Show of Bowls, Red Star Studios Ceramics Center, Invitational, Kansas City, MO
Gather ‘Round the Table, Hodges Taylor Gallery, Ceramic Invitational, Charlotte, NC
Cup, C.A.S. Gallery, Multi-media Invitational, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
4th Annual National Juried Cup Show, Gallery 138, Best of Show Award, JUROR: Janet
Buskirk, Kent State University, Kent, OH
Art of the Pot, First Annual, Studio tour & sale, Invitational, Austin, TX
The State of Clay, Lexington Arts & Crafts Society, JUROR: P. Beasecker, Lexington, MA
excellence in ceramics, exploding head gallery: Contemporary Art & Ceramics, Clay
Invitational, Sacramento, CA
Service: An Unconventional Approach, Ceramic Invitational, Chester Springs Studio, Chester
Springs, PA
The Big Show, Four Star Gallery, Clay Invitational, Indianapolis, IN (NCECA)
Power of Pottery Invitational Exhibition, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, Dunedin, FL
2003 29th Invitational Pottery Show & Sale, Old Church Cultural Ctr., Demarest, NJ
Faculty Biennial, Krikorian Gallery, Worcester Ctr. for Crafts, Worcester, MA
Functional Pottery Invitational, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Women in Clay: Pots for Daily Use, Odyssey Gallery, Invitational, Asheville, NC
Fresh A-I-R, Krikorian Gallery, W.C.C., Artists-In-Residence Exhibition, Worcester
& Sam Morgan: New Work in Porcelain, Fifth Element Gallery, Two-person
Invitational Exhibition, Portland, OR
Hundreds of Cups, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, National Invitational, Santa Fe, NM
Contemporary Ceramics: & Vincent Burke, Two-person Invitational
Exhibition, Napa Mill, Napa, CA
Form + Function: New Work by Kristen Kieffer & Sam Chung, Baltimore Clayworks, Two-
person Invitational Exhibition, Baltimore, MD
NCECA Clay National Exhibition, David Zaph Gallery, Tradition of Excellence Purchase
Award, JURORS: Jeff Oestreich, Patty Warashina & Joe Bova, San Diego, CA
An Affinity for the Cup, exploding head gallery, Invitational, Sacramento, CA
DinnerWorks Exhibit, Louisville Art Assoc., Invitational, Louisville, KY
DessertWorks ’03, Ronald Barr Gallery, IU Southeast, Invitational, New Albany, IN
2002 28th Invitational Pottery Show & Sale, Old Church Cultural Ctr., Demarest, NJ
Mastery in Clay: New Work, The Clay Studio, Invitational Exhibit/Auction, PA
Red Heat: Contemporary Work in Clay, JUROR: Richard Notkin, Tulsa, OK
North American Dishmakers, Airstream Nomadic Gallery, Fall Tour/East Coast
RSVP: The Dinnerware Invitational, Penland Gallery, Penland, NC
4 Hands/2 Minds/1 Object: Artists’ Collaborations, Penland Gallery, Invitational with
Joe Bova, Penland, NC
Fresh A-I-R, Krikorian Gallery, W.C.C., Artists-In-Residence Exhibition, Worcester
10th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, JUROR: Jack Troy, Lancaster, PA
The Vase, Peck Gallery, JUROR: Jacquelyn Rice, Providence, RI
NCECA Silent Auction, Endowment Invitational, Kansas City, MO
Utilitarian Ceramics National, Ameen Gallery, JUROR: Ron Meyers, Thibodaux, LA
Prevailing Winds, Young & Constantin Gallery, Ceramic Ex., Wilmington, VT
2001 Faculty Biennial, Krikorian Gallery, Worcester Ctr. for Crafts, Worcester, MA
Le Grand Buffet, The Clay Studio, Invitational Exhibit/Auction, Phila., PA
Ceramic Trends, Trish Higgins Fine Art, Wichita, KS
Annual Holiday Show, The Clay Studio, Invitational Exhibition, Phila., PA
Ostensibly Ornate, MFA Thesis Exhibition (solo), Trisolini Gallery, Athens, OH
10 Years of Clay—Arrowmont Resident Artists, Charlotte, NC (NCECA)
Six Degrees, Trish Higgins Fine Art, Ceramic Invitational, Wichita, KS
The First Ten Years Exhibition: Arrowmont’s Artist-In-Residence Program, TN
2000 Winterfest 2000, Baltimore Clayworks, Ceramic Invitational, Baltimore, MD
Impressions In Clay, Chester Springs Studio, Juried Ceramics Exhibition,
JUROR: Linda Christianson, Chester Springs, PA
Couplets: Duality in Clay, The Clay Studio, Invitational, Philadelphia, PA
Utilitarian Clay III: Celebrate the Object, Invitational Ex. & Symposium, TN
8th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster Museum of Art, Juror’s Choice
Award, JUROR: Ken Ferguson, Lancaster, PA
A Touch of Porcelain, Red Rocks Community College, Invitational, Denver, CO NCECA & The Signature Shop & Gallery, Atlanta, GA
artsinterface2000, Fine Arts Center, Ceramics Exhibition, Camden, SC
Chef John Folse Culinary Inst. 2nd Annual Utilitarian Ceramics National, Ameen Art Gallery, Nicholls State U., Purchase Awards (2), JUROR: Bill Griffith, Thibodaux, LA
1999 Candlesticks, Native Soil Gallery, Ceramic Invitational Exhibition, Evanston, IL
The Ground Floor, Greer Museum, Ceramics Exhibition, Rio Grande, OH
National Teapot Show IV, Cedar Creek Gallery, Invitational, Creedmoor, NC
Ceramics '99, The Guilford Handcraft Ctr., JURORS: John & Andrea Gill, Guilford, CT
NCECA 1999 Juried Student Exhibition, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Arts Center,
JURORS: Margaret Bohls & Arthur Gonzales, Columbus, OH
The Next Wave, BLD Studios, Juried Clay Exhibition, Columbus, OH (NCECA)
1998 Working With Function, Chester Springs Studio, 15th Annual Exhibition,
JUROR: Linda Sikora, Chester Springs, PA
Earthy Treasures Invitational, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
Common Ground, Smith Galleries, Invitational, Hilton Head Island, SC
Resident Artist Exhibition, Atrium Gallery, Arrowmont, Gatlinburg, TN
6th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Market House Craft Center,
JUROR: Cynthia Bringle, Ephrata, PA
1997 Monarch National Ceramic Competition, Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts,
JUROR: Michael Monroe, Florence, AL
Earthy Treasures Invitational, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
15th Annual Women's National Juried Art Exhibition, Joy Pratt Markham Gallery, Walton
Arts Center, JUROR: Nancy Farrell, Fayetteville, AR
5th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Market House Craft Center,
JUROR: Val Cushing, Juror Award, Ephrata, PA
All Fired Up, Gallery One, Clay Exhibition, JUROR: Josh DeWeese, Boise, ID
1996 Art and Function, L. B. I. Foundation, Juried Exhibition, Loveladies, NJ
National Ceramics Competition Exhibition, Laumeier Sculpture Park, JURORS:
Ruth Duckworth, Robert Turner, Cynthia Bringle, and David Shaner, Merit in Ceramics, St. Louis, MO
Container/Containment, 16 Hands Gallery, First Place, Ann Arbor, MI

Teaching Experience
’01 to present Ceramics Instructor, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA
Instructor for Beginning, Advanced Wheelthrowing, Soda-firing, Mold-making and Porcelain classes; Beginning Handbuilding and Wheelthrowing for Adult Education Programming and MA students through Fitchburg State College and Qunsigamond Community College
1998-01 Teaching Assistant & Associate, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Instructor and Assistant for Beginning and Advanced Wheelthrowing, and 3-D Design
1997-98 Ceramics Instructor & Guest Lecturer, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
Instructor for Adult and Children’s Beginning and Advanced Wheelthrowing

Honors & Awards
2004 Best of Show, 4th Annual National Juried Cup Show
2003 Tradition of Excellence Purchase Award, NCECA Clay National Exhibition
2002 Professional Development Grant, Massachusetts Cultural Council
Local Cultural Council Grant, Worcester Cultural Commission
2000 Juror’s Choice Award, 8th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National
Purchase Awards (2), Utilitarian Ceramics National
98-01 Tuition Assistantships for Graduate study, Ohio University
1997 Juror, Merchandise Award, 5th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National
1996 Certificate of Merit in Ceramics, National Ceramics Competition Exhibition
First Place, Container/Containment
1993 Toshiye Tanada Ceramic Scholarship, Montgomery College

Permanent Collections
Guldagergård, Museum of International Ceramic Art, Skælskør, Denmark
Nidec-Shimpo America Corporation, Itasca, IL
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
Clay Times, Waterford, VA
John Folse Culinary Institute, Thibodaux, LA
Southern Pottery Equipment, Thibodaux, LA
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI

Gallery Affiliation
Stewart-Kummer Gallery, Gualala, CA
exploding head gallery: Contemporary Art & Ceramics, Sacramento, CA
The Signature Shop & Gallery, Atlanta, GA
AKAR Design, Iowa City, IA
Worcester Center for Crafts Giftshop, Worcester, MA
m. t. burton gallery: Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture & Pottery, Surf City, NJ