Introducing Mug of the Month Artist, December 2025: Staci Wolfe

PennOhio Clay Guild
7 days ago
3 min read

December Mug of the Month: Staci Wolfe

Finding Beauty in Nature

December Mug of the Month artist lives in Plum, PA now, but her roots run deep in rural Pennsylvania farmland, where she grew up close to her grandparents. Staci's introduction to art came from one of the most influential people in her life, her grandmother, Jean Wolfe.

Jean is an artist whose world is shaped by nature. Whether painting wildlife in oils, carving leather, antler, bone, or wood, she has always created with a kind of quiet devotion that Staci admired as a child. Sometimes we would attend her oil painting classes, where her hands would move with confidence and curiosity. She never stopped making things and that spirit of constant exploration has shaped so much of who Staci is an artist today.

Jean Wolfe's Art...

How It All Began

"My own clay journey started in high school. I took a couple of ceramics classes, learned the basics of wheel throwing and sculpture, and was immediately hooked. While the wheel was fun, I was drawn most to sculpture—the magic of shaping something out of a formless lump of clay. That feeling stayed with me.

After graduation, I stepped away from clay to pursue a degree in Environmental Engineering. My university didn’t offer ceramics—had they offered even a single class, I would’ve been first in line. For years, I tried to fill that creative gap with polymer clay, epoxy clay, air-dry clay—anything I could get my hands on—but nothing behaved or felt the same.

I started to accept that ceramics might be something I’d have to wait for… until my husband and I took a couples pottery class at a local art center. Something reignited instantly. That long-quiet spark flared up again, and I found myself craving more than what a single class could offer.

In my search for a way back in, before I even owned a wheel or a bag of clay—I started looking for kiln firing services. My thought was simple:If I found a kiln, I found my way home.

That search is how I stumbled upon POCG. The Guild opened a door I truly didn’t think would ever open again. For that, I am endlessly grateful."

Staci's recent work...

Inspiration Behind “Winter Sleigh Ride”

The collection draws inspiration from freshly fallen snow and a lifelong passion for wildlife. Featured is "the caribou" and will mark new territory as Staci has never sculpted one before and has never even seen one in person, adding an exciting layer of challenge.

Much of her artistic inspiration comes from travels across the United States, especially through national parks. During a 2024 trip to Colorado, exploring Rocky Mountain National Park and State Forest State Park, she encountered landscapes and wildlife that left a lasting impression. Those vivid memories will now shape the story woven into this mug series.

Staci hopes to share a bit of that wonder with anyone who picks up one of these mugs, whether a nature enthusiast or someone who simply enjoys a visually compelling design.

Each piece will be crafted to feel like a small slice of the wild, brought directly into the hands of its user.

Images from Staci's Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and State Forest State Park, CO

Looking Ahead

"I’m excited to spend this month immersed in snowy textures, wildlife forms, and the quiet magic of winter landscapes. Thank you for welcoming me into the Mug of the Month project—I can’t wait to share more of this journey with you as December unfolds."

~Staci

Some Early Test Tiles ready for glaze...