Mug of the Month
Elevating Artists and Your Everyday Experience
The POCG Mug of the Month program is about more than just mugs—it's about directly supporting our member artists while celebrating their stories, creativity, and artistry. Each month in 2025, we’ll feature one talented clay artist as they create 15 limited-edition mugs that showcase their unique vision and craftsmanship.
With each mug, you’re not just collecting a unique piece that takes your morning coffee to the next level; you’re investing in the growth of local artists, their creative journeys, and the vibrant community we’re building together.
Reserve the
2026 Collection
Be Part of Every Story, All Year Long
Want to make sure you don’t miss out?
You can reserve all limited-edition mugs for each of the upcoming months!
Here’s how it works:
-
Each mug is $50
-
Reserve them now and we will invoice you later (we have flexible payment options)
-
Choose to pick them up in person from our New Castle, PA location, or we can ship them to you.
-
By reserving the collection, you’ll help support the program and the artists behind it while building your own unique collection of handmade, meaningful pieces.
Prefer Mugs A La Carte?
Single Mugs Available For Reservation
Starting around the 7th of Every Month
If you'd rather take it one month at a time, any mugs that haven't been reserved will be available for purchase individually in our online Pottery Shoppe at the end of each month.
Enjoy the same beautiful, limited-edition mugs a la carte— pick your favorite designs and make them yours!
MUG OF THE MONTH
February '26
Lisa Berczel
Octopus
Her February Octopus Mug is a deep dive into those classical influences. First inspired by Jacques Cousteau’s octopus documentaries and later revisited in an airbrushed illustration, the motif resurfaced when a slab‑built mug in 2023 seemed to ask for “a little more of something.” With a few more years of clay under her belt, Lisa set out to create a fully realized design: an octopus reaching up toward a mug, its tentacles interacting with the object rather than functioning as structural supports.
The form itself is all curves and quiet movement, meant to slip comfortably into a Craftsman or Art Nouveau collection while echoing the silhouettes of Roman vessels. The tentacles become a case study in elegant simplification; the color palette nods to classical Greek pottery; the overall form draws n Chinese and Japanese archetypes. It’s a small object with a global family tree.
The result will be a mug that embodies Lisa’s love of adaptive technique and illusion, a piece that feels at home in several historical traditions at once, while still carrying the quiet drama of an octopus reaching for its prize.
Read about the making of Lisa's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
January '26
Brandon Peters of Peters Pottery
Meshaw Falls Memory
This month, POCG Welcomes back Brandon Peters.
When the Guild began selecting Member Artists for the 2026 Mug of the Month program, Brandon Peters quickly rose to the top of the list as someone they were eager to see more work from. As half of the Peters Pottery team, Brandon often leans into the technical side of the craft, while his pottery shop partner and spouse, Kathleen, brings their forms to life through sculpting, handwork, and expressive surface design.
When Brandon first began to conceptualize a Mug of the Month personal to him, he wasn’t quite sure where to begin. As he thought it over, he kept coming back to the outdoors, fishing, hunting, and time spent outside have shaped his life since childhood. That reflection sent him digging through old photos, where he rediscovered images from a fishing trip to Canada on the French River. One picture in particular stood out: an abandoned wooden shack sitting at the base of a waterfall at Meshaw Falls.
The January design grows directly from that memory. Brandon’s vision is a mug that feels grounded in stone and water: the base will appear to rest in a bed of rocks, while the handle is sculpted as worn wooden planks echoing the old shack. A deep, dark blue glaze will evoke the river and falling water. Alongside this piece, Brandon has shared photos from that Canada trip and a few from recent trout outings with his oldest son, a thread that connects past adventures to new ones as he passes his love of the outdoors on to his children.
Learn More about their March 2025 Mug Here
You can find more information about Peters Pottery Shop via Facebook & Instagram. Their pottery is available for purchase via their website www.peterspotteryshop.com Any questions or inquiries can be directed to peterspotteryshop@gmail.com.
Read about the making of Brandon's' mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
December '25
Staci Wolf
Finding Beauty in Nature
This month, the PennOhio Clay Guild highlights artist Staci Wolf, whose creative roots stretch back to rural Pennsylvania farmland and the guiding influence of her grandmother, artist Jean Wolfe. Surrounded by wildlife art and the rhythmic hum of carving tools, Staci grew up watching Jean transform natural forms into oil paintings, leatherwork, bone carvings, and wood sculptures. That early exposure to patient craftsmanship and endless curiosity shaped Staci’s own artistic spirit. Though she first fell in love with clay in high school, especially the expressive possibility of sculpture, life led her toward Environmental Engineering instead.
For years she chased the feeling of clay through other mediums until a couples pottery class reignited the spark. Her search for kiln access brought her, unexpectedly and gratefully, to POCG, where she finally found her way back home to ceramics.
Staci’s December series, “Winter Sleigh Ride,” is inspired by freshly fallen snow, her lifelong love of wildlife, and the awe she experienced during a 2024 trip through Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park and State Forest State Park. This month’s featured sculptural subject, the caribou, is completely new to her, making the work both challenging and thrilling. She hopes each mug carries a sense of quiet winter magic, inviting nature lovers and art enthusiasts alike to experience a small slice of the wild in their own hands.
As she puts it, she’s excited to spend this month immersed in snowy textures, wildlife forms, and the gentle beauty of winter, sharing her journey one mug at a time.
Read about the making of Staci's' mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
November '25
-
After several years, opportunity met readiness: Shelly Dobi was able to purchase a school’s pottery equipment and set up her own home studio, complete with her trusty kick wheel (and eventually, an electric wheel purchased at NCECA Pittsburgh!).
-
While teaching fifth-grade science, Shelly combined her love of art and education, leading after-school clay projects for her students. She learned to fire a kiln entirely on her own “before YouTube, mind you!” and transported student work back and forth between school and home. The payoff? Seeing the students’ creations proudly displayed at the annual art fair.
-
In the final years of her teaching career, Shelly transitioned to teaching art full-time, inspiring hundreds of students to explore their creativity. Now retired, she’s back in the studio with time to create simply for the joy of it and this month, she brings that full-circle energy to her feature as POCG’s November Mug of the Month artist.
Shelly's Design Inspiration
-
Her mug design draws inspiration from a place close to her heart: Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie. “We vacationed there every summer for the first fifteen years of my life,” she shares. “The sunsets are breathtaking, and I knew I wanted to capture that feeling, that sense of peace and warmth; in a mug."
-
Reserve one of November's mugs here, or reserve all the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Shelly's' mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
October '25
The upcoming mug from Jen Bean will feature influences that are worlds apart, yet, they share a common spirit that resonates deeply with Jen:
-
Clay as a design element, not just a canvas
-
Surface decoration that expresses interconnectedness between elements of humanity and nature
-
Lines, dots, and patterns that bring cohesion and flow
-
Attention to form, honoring how shape and surface compliment one another
In my own studio practice, I’ve found joy in creating functional pieces - mugs, bowls, ring dishes, spoon rests - the kinds of objects that quietly enrich everyday life. I want my work to be approachable and inviting pieces that people reach for without hesitation. Until now, I’ve accomplished much of that through the use of texture and rich colors.
But for this October Mug of the Month, I set out to go deeper. My goal was to be more purposeful and deliberate with surface design by drawing inspiration from the craftsmanship of Larry Allen and the Tonalá artists. I’m hoping to move beyond texture toward carving and cohesive storytelling in clay. It's a step toward uniting what I value most: teaching, connection, and creativity brought together in one small, thoughtful vessel.
Reserve one of October's mugs here, or reserve all the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Jen's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
September '25
The Mug of the Month project is a living gallery of our Guild’s creativity, and September’s mug will add a new chapter that’s deeply personal. These mugs will embody both sides of my evolving artistic voice: Septipotimus’ whimsical curiosity and Septicemia’s moody depth.
The Collection will be a convergence of these two concepts, forming a duality of sorts. Each mug will be a narrative piece: a blend of experimentation, and intention—a tangible expression of what it means to be both a teacher and a maker in this community.
This initial collaboration will be derived under the name:
IMUSIA • a Septicém on a Septipot
This month, I invite you to join me in this journey: to celebrate clay not just as a craft, but as a mirror of identity, imagination, and growth. The September Mug of the Month isn’t just a vessel—it’s a story in your hands.
Reserve one of September's mugs here, or reserve all the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Septimus' mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
August '25
Sarah McGonigle's featured mugs draw inspiration from a lesson influenced by watercolor artist Michelle Carlos called the Global Patterns Project. In this project, students researched and recreated patterns from around the world to honor their cultural significance. Motivated by this, Sarah has focused her art on tartan designs, reflecting Scotland’s rich heritage and her personal connection as she prepares to move abroad.
The tartan ceramics series combines traditional pottery techniques with digital design, connecting the symbolism and history embedded in tartan patterns with contemporary artistic expression. Sarah shares her creative journey through initial sketches, digital boards, and images of her working at the pottery wheel, offering insight into how culture and craft intertwine in her work.
Reserve one of August's mugs here, or reserve all the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Sarah's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
July '25
This month’s featured mugs are a thoughtful blend of two of Frank Parker’s artistic passions: clay and painting.
Drawing on his background in watercolor, Frank developed a surface approach that adds depth and texture through slip trailing clay into simple natural designs. You’ll see this especially in the tree motifs, where careful underglaze work and chattering at the base give the impression of layered forest and earth.
Reserve one of July's mugs here, or reserve all the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Frank's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
June '25
Gerri vonHofen is a local artist who has been working with clay for 7 years. She is also the guild's kiln technician! Gerri is challenging herself to design mugs that capture the spirit of freedom and transformation through the eye of a blue and gold macaw.
Reserve one of June's mugs here, or reserve all the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Gerri's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
May '25
Eleanor Earnhart is a Mercer, PA-based artist whose journey with clay is as fresh as it is inspiring. Eleanor is a multimedia artist, who considers herself still fairly new to clay, but brings her background of design and printmaking skills to her Mug of the Month.
May's mugs have sold out.
Reserve the remaining 2025 Collection here.
Read about the making of Eleanor's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
April '25
Ryan Vanhorenbeck is a Pittsburgh artist who challenged himself to do something totally new for his Mug of the Month to strengthen and refine his skills while still managing to make his mug uniquely "Ryan."
Reserve the remaining 2025 Collection here, or you can purchase any of April's remaining mugs here.
Read about the making of Ryan's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
March '25
Brandon & Kathleen Peters, our March Mug of the Month artists, embraced the challenge of stepping outside their comfort zone, using this opportunity to grow and experiment in new ways to express their creative voice.
Reserve the remaining 2025 Collection here, or you can purchase any of March's remaining mugs here.
Read about the making of Brandon & Kathleen's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
February '25
Artist in Residence Marisa LaGuardia is our February Mug of the Month artist. They used a mix of techniques—including some that embrace randomness- to craft 15 totally unique, limited-edition mugs.
Reserve the remaining 2025 Collection here, or you can purchase any of February's remaining mugs here.
Read about the making of Marisa's mugs:
MUG OF THE MONTH
January '25
Member artist Charlie Parrish is kicking off our Mug of the Month program by making 15 limited-edition mugs for January, 2025.
Reserve all 12 mugs of the month here, or you can purchase any remaining, unreserved mugs from our shoppe on January 30th.
Read about the making of Charlie's mugs:
