Gideon McCarthy is a 15-year-old potter based in Batesville, Virginia. He began throwing in 2021 on a borrowed kick wheel during the pandemic lockdown. He loved it right from the start and began taking a throwing class for kids with Sue Stone at Muddigs Pottery. He has been working in clay ever since. He now has a small studio in a shed behind his house where he throws, glazes and fires all his work. 

All of his pieces are wheel thrown. He has always enjoyed working with his hands, building and fixing things. Throwing clay has really stimulated his curiosity and kept him engaged. Over the summer he was really interested in testing the boundaries of how much clay he could throw successfully (I think I made it to about 30lbs). In the fall, closed form pieces were really interesting him, and currently he has been diving deep into mugs and pitchers, especially working out handles and spouts. Gideon’s finished pieces are the consequence of exploring and refining a particular shape until he feels satisfied with its function and aesthetic. He finds throwing extremely satisfying; the process requires focus and control, and it helps keeps his mind fully engaged. Gideon enjoy refining forms and trying new techniques.

He draws some inspiration from potters such as Florian Gadsby and Brian O’Hare (Ripple Pottery), particularly refinement and craftsmanship. He is constantly working to improve his technique through glaze experimentation, refinement and attending workshops with other potters he can learn from. He is currently in the Dual Enrollment Ceramics Program at Western Albemarle High School with Laura Chatterson.