Artist Profile: Deborah Rossi

Fine Stoneware, Porcelain & Earthenware

By Heike Hellmann-Brown

When designing her ceramics, artist Deborah Rossi approaches the task not only from a functional but more so from an esthetic point of view. What characterizes my work is the elegance in form and proportion, Rossi, who often incorporates surface texture such as imprints, raised reliefs, medallions or animal shapes into her sophisticated designs, explains. My goal is to make everyday items as close to a piece of art as possible.

The Ohio native had initially eyed a career in fashion design and lived in New York City for a few years to follow her dream, but later settled in North Georgia with her husband and three kids. Here she started her own fashion design studio, offering high-end daywear from French and Italian fabrics. During this time she had also been creative in other areas; she played piano, took up oil painting and sculpting and used fiber as a medium, but when she discovered pottery, she never looked back. Working with clay is the most organic of what you can do with your hands, Rossi, who has a strong appreciation for traditional Greek and Korean pottery, says. A beautiful proportioned shape of a piece from 2,000 B.C. can serve as an inspiration for my designs.

Rossis products range from baking dishes to dinnerware, childrens cups and bowls, oil bottles, berry bowls and mortars and pestles. They are all set up for everyday use and safe for the oven, microwave and dishwasher. While most of her pieces are one-of-a-kind, Rossi recently developed a contemporary series in brown and red tones and a white colored farmhouse series.

Reaching a temperature of up to 2380 F, Rossis high-firing gas kiln produces more vitreous and durable ceramic works than electric kilns. The higher temperature also generates surface effects such as speckles and inadvertently led to the development of Rossis signature glaze, an appealing apricot color. In my never-ending search for beautiful glazes I was aiming for a yellow, Rossi states. Instead it produced this gorgeous pale orange that turns green when it flows over a textured surface and even creates a black outlining. Very few glazes have such a variety.

More than anything Rossi loves the design aspect of her work. I wake up every morning and cant wait to enter my studio. I find such satisfaction in the design process. The more I create, the more ideas I have I cant design fast enough! she says and emphasizes that the elegance of her creations sets her apart. It took me a long time to develop my own style. And while I am at a point now where I know who I am as an artist and what appeals to me, I am still constantly learning new things. Yet I focus on my goal to be commercially viable. Ultimately I would like to design for a ceramics manufacturer and hopefully see my own line of ceramic products in a department store some day.

DRossiCeramics.com