Introducing Mug of the Month Artist, June 2025: Gerri vonHofen

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Like many artists, my creative path has wandered through many mediums over the years—painting, crochet, carving punk (shelf fungi), beading, and jewelry-making. I’ve always felt most at peace when I’m creating something with my hands. Art has been my way to center myself, to take a breath, and to reconnect. It balances out my career in nursing, which is full of structure and responsibility. Art gives me freedom.

My journey with clay began about seven years ago when my sister invited me and a few friends to a pottery outing. Her coworker was a potter and offered to teach us the basics. From the very first time my hands touched the clay, I was hooked. There was something so grounding—and yet so full of possibility—about shaping a form from a lump of earth.

For the next five years, I took weekly ceramics classes, learning the fundamentals of both handbuilding and throwing from a variety of teachers. While I’ve never been formally trained, I eagerly soaked up as much knowledge as I could, always chasing that feeling of discovery that comes from working with clay.

Eventually, I realized I wanted more time—more space—to create. My once-a-week classes weren’t enough. So, with the help of my husband, we converted a space in our basement into a small home studio. He even built me a plaster table, and I got my first pottery wheel. But without a kiln, I needed somewhere to fire my pieces.

That’s when I found PennOhio Clay Guild—and with it, Septimus, Jen, and Bobby. What began as a search for firing services turned into something much more meaningful. In the two years since, I’ve become part of the Guild’s studio team, joined the board, and grown both technically and creatively in ways I never imagined. The support and community I’ve found here have truly shaped my development as an artist.

Some examples of Gerri's work through her small buinsess: Gerri's Clay Creations

Mug of the Month - June Design Inspiration:

This month’s mug was born from both personal inspiration and artistic challenge. I wanted to create a piece that honored a dear friend—someone with whom I’ve shared both laughter and loss over many years. She’s a devoted animal lover, especially when it comes to birds, so I chose the striking blue and gold macaw as my subject.

Originally, I started with a realistic sketch, planning to depict the macaw with detailed feathers and familiar features. But as the process unfolded, I realized something deeper was calling me. I didn’t want to just replicate a bird. I wanted to express something through the bird: the feeling of flight. Of release. Of soaring beyond sadness and grief.

This piece became less about representation and more about transformation. The eye of the macaw—framed in bold feather lines—came to symbolize for me a kind of spiritual awareness. A knowing gaze. One that sees pain, but also sees beyond it. The flowing elements of the design, including the handle, were carefully shaped to suggest movement, weightlessness, and peace.

Designing the handle was a particular challenge. I wanted it to support the flow of the overall piece without interrupting its energy. It took time and patience, but eventually the form came together—organic, fluid, and balanced.

Now that the design is complete, the final steps are in motion: application, glaze testing, finishing, and firing. This mug represents not just a tribute to a friend, but a turning point in my creative process. It’s the result of taking risks, listening to intuition, and embracing artistic growth.

I’m so grateful to share it with you as June’s Mug of the Month.

Reservations to purchase her limited edition mug are available now.  We’ll learn more about the design and making progress mid-June with the final presentation by the end of the month.

Reserve Your June Mug Today!