Lisa Kurtz: Fired Up!

February 6-28, 2026
Lisa Kurtz: Fired Up!
Opening reception: Friday, February 6, 5:00-9:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM with additional hours on Fridays, 5:00-7:00 PM for Gallery 1010 openings.
The Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

Lisa Kurtz throws and hand builds her pottery and often integrates both methods to create her functional pottery, sculpture and clay wall art. She emphasizes the malleable qualities of clay by stretching, altering and texturing her work while it is still wet. She encourages the happy accidents that take place in both the making and firing process, which has led her to explore many different types of firing including electric, wood, soda and salt. In this exhibition, Kurtz’s work includes pieces fired in all these types of kilns. Her goal is to show the different atmospheric effects on the clay and her glazes that result from different firing methods. She often uses fabric saved from her grandfather’s tailor shop to imprint texture and designs onto her work. She also uses found objects including rocks, shells, vintage jewelry and more to add to her clay wall pieces. This connection to her past is a major source of inspiration for her work.

Lisa Kurtz, a potter and clay artist for 48 years is an award-winning ceramic artist who first set up her studio, “Highland Pottery”, in the Highlands neighborhood in Louisville after earning her masters in Ceramics from The University of Louisville, Kentucky. Previously an adjunct professor teaching ceramics, drawing and art history at Pellissippi State and Cleveland State, she also taught pottery (both throwing and hand building) at art centers in Tennessee and Kentucky including Arrowmont, Oak Ridge Art Center and Appalachian Arts and Crafts Center. Teaching clay and mentoring young potters has been an important part of her journey; in 2015 Lisa was juried to be a “Master Artist” by the Tennessee Arts Commission and Tennessee Craft. Her work has been featured and sold in galleries and juried fine art shows nationwide and is in many private collections. She has been an active juried member of many professional national and local art guilds including Artaxis, Foothills Craft Guild, Terra Madre Women in Clay, and The Kentucky Department of the Arts. She has also served as a juror for many art shows and arts organizations.

I have always been fascinated by the effect of water on the earth and the calming effect it has upon me. The textures and colors in water, sand, sea birds, shells, rocks, and marine creatures inform my work and my glazes. I mix up all my own glazes and often tweak them to highlight my designs. My goal is to infuse my work with the peaceful feelings that water worn rocks, landscape and waves give to me. Another favorite part of working in this medium is that people can use and/or enjoy my work in their everyday lives. This is especially important to me as a potter. Whether people use my pieces in everyday rituals or celebratory meals, that connection to their life through my art is what keeps me going. Even my larger sculptural vases, bowls and wall pouches are made to be used and enjoyed.

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