Kimberly Shelton received a BFA in Ceramics from Georgia State University in 2007. After Graduating, they relocated to Philadelphia, PA where they trained as a Studio Technician at The Clay Studio. They began developing their teaching philosophy with the Clay Mobile outreach program and worked as an assistant to many local artists. Kimberly also facilitated community wood firings at Cheltenham Arts Center and taught at the Darlington Arts Center. They began working within urban agriculture which influenced their connection between conscience tableware and slow food. In 2015, Kimberly relocated to Whidbey Island, Washington to apprentice with Cook On Clay, an artisan flameware manufacturer. Two years later they returned to Georgia and attended their 1st professional residency at The Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences. Kimberly has assisted teaching artists and attended workshops throughout the US including Penland, Haystack, and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Currently, Kimberly resides in Atlanta, GA where they manage a community pottery studio at Chastain Arts Center. This Fall, they can be found teaching a handle-making workshop at the John. C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina.
“There is a deep-rooted connection between handmade tableware, the food we grow, harvest, and prepare for consumption, and the table we share to embrace the bounty. I find reprieve in the repetitive practice of manipulating clay, transforming earth through fire, into dense stoneware. This process uniquely satisfying. My personal practice is intimate and introspective, and I challenge myself to make a relevant contribution to my community. Dirt Dobber Wares is about coexisting and creating utilitarian objects to enhance the daily experiences for myself, and all that want to share a seat at the table.”
