Caitlin Varner

Artist Statement

The innate surfaces of the ocean emerge in my work through material exploration, with themes of environmental awareness and reverence for nature. Pottery form becomes a way to celebrate and enshrine the ocean—bringing its presence into everyday life. Memories from beach trips with friends, collecting shells, catching fish, are memorialized, by pressing found objects directly into soft clay, encrusting the vessels. I solidify fleeting moments to create tactile keepsakes. Time spent in nature has not only been filled with fun memories but has also made me aware of how human consumption affects the environment.

Artist Bio

Caitlin Varner is a visual artist working with clay and textiles to explore form, texture, and material transformation. Born in Louisiana and raised in Oklahoma, she grew up outdoors—often chasing, catching, and caring for any critter she could find. Her early love for nature gradually deepened into an awareness of environmental impact and a desire to reflect that awareness through her work.

She discovered ceramics during an elective class at Tulsa Community College, where she was originally studying early childhood development. The class was held at Third Street Clay Works, a community studio in Tulsa that became her home base. Caitlin went on to switch her major to art, earning her Associate of Fine Arts degree from TCC. She is currently completing her BFA in Art and Design at Alfred University in Alfred, NY, with graduation expected in May 2025.

Her practice blends wheel-throwing, sculpture, and material experimentation—often incorporating found objects and natural forms. Through tactile processes and themes of memory, disappearance, and reverence for nature, Caitlin’s work responds to the fragile relationship between humans and the environment.

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