BEST GALLERIES OF DOOR PENINSULa.blink
Clay Bay Pottery Gallery
Celebrating Beauty in Clay

by Patricia Podgers

With a freedom of expression and a bit of whimsy, David and Jeanne Aurelius “write” stories in clay. Together and individually, the couple has created Clay Bay Gallery, where each work-of-art “paints” a picture, stirs emotion, or simply evokes a smile.

Two of Door County’s most respected potters, David and Jeanne first opened the doors of their Ellison Bay gallery in 1976. While sharing the same studio space, the artists maintain specific design areas.

Creating sculptural works that reflect his interest in nature, David’s pottery is more abstract. “There is a freedom that comes with accumulated knowledge,” he explained,“and the pieces I produce are the sum of my experiences.”

Jeanne incorporates her experiences as a painter and educator into pictorial pieces that often depict the peninsula’s surrounding waters and local villages.“I’m more pictorial,” she related. “David is more of a ‘designer’ and does larger pieces than I do. But we complement each other in our work.” All of the Aurelius’ pottery is handcrafted, serving both functionally and decoratively. A selection of the couple’s pottery includes teapots, mugs, bowls,“lady” vases, tiles, platters, lamps, and special event pieces such as baptismal bowls.

Additionally, 20 artists from throughout the United States are regularly exhibited in Clay Bay Pottery Gallery. Their work includes paintings, pottery, woodcuts, and jewelry. A sampling of exhibited potters includes Peder Hegland, Peter Deneen, Jere and Kate Huffman, and sisters Mary Deneen and Martha Winter.

Clay Bay Pottery Gallery seasonally hosts special shows and exhibits, the first of which is an “Open House” on May 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The second show will be July 6 & 7. From the Inside Out: Northern Lights Lamp Show will be held August 11.

“At the side of the road” David and Jeanne Aurelius have created a little gallery with a big reputation. Clay Bay Pottery…where fun, function, and beauty, mirror their creativity and imagination. “Mostly we let our pieces speak about us, our style of design and form,” smiled Jeanne. FIW

Clay Bay Pottery Gallery, 11650 Highway 42, Ellison Bay,WI 54210
920.854.5027 • jaureliu@itol.com
Summer hours: Apr.–Dec., 10–5 p.m. • Winter hours: Thurs.–Mon., 10–5 p.m.