Caitlin Bergendahl, ceramic artist
I'm a ceramicist, potter, and raku firing enthusiast.
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." --Samuel Beckett
My Etsy Shop: CaitB Pottery
@caitberg_pottery on instagram
the artist through a filter
This amphora is my response to the overwhelming amount of Artificial Intelligence (AI) flooding our digital landscape:
This amphora is also useless and wastes water.
Hand built vase, porcelain slip, personally formulated glaze. 2025
Ceramic sculpture of a crushed turquoise bird inside a raku-fired nest.
You build the best life you can out of the things you find worthy in life, and you piece everything together however you see fit. You make your own nest from these pieces. Even when you feel broken, and the scraps feel small, you make your life beautiful and brave. You can be proud of the art and the work that you bring into this world, even if it feels messy and pieced together, even when you may feel broken.
Part of the Temple series, this is a Shrine to Self Preservation. Hand built with personally formulated glazes and oxides. 2025
A sculpture made meditating upon the strength each of us has to support one another. Even if one of us fails, we can hold each other up and support each other. I was thinking about the strength of clay and the strength of community, and the importance of mutual aid, and how frequently things that seem fragile have hidden underlying strength -- much like this clay sculpture. The title of this piece is a quote from Wim Wenders' 2023 film, Perfect Days. The quote is about living in the present moment.
Part of the Temple series, this is a Temple to Community and Connection. Handbuilt ceramic 2025
Included in the Love & Community Show at CNTR Richmond, 318 W. Broad Street, for First Friday, May 2nd, 2025, 6-9pm
A small sculpture made with wire, found items (shells, coral, rocks, tree cones) and crowned with a found hawk's feather. This is a prayer of safety and protection for the natural world and the awe I experience when walking in the wilderness. The treasures are found items that I picked up and pocketed, but never found a way to appropriately display until now.
Part of the Temple series, this is a Temple to The Pacific. Hand built ceramic with wire, rocks, shells, pinecones, pottery shards. 2025
I have been making a series of torn-clay bowls, and this form came to me as I was making. I wanted to build a sea anemone--a stunning predator, both beautiful and venomous. When wandering the tidal pools of the Pacific coast, I seek out these creatures and marvel at their ability to survive the harsh tides and the crashing waves while being anchored in place.
Hand built, with personally formulated glazes. 2025
Included in the ArtWorks RVA April 2025 as part of the Artworks April All Media Show. Opening night Friday April 25, 6-8pm
Wall hanging curio cabinet
Wall hanging curio cabinet
Wall hanging decoration
Wall hanging decoration
Handbuilt large jar
Handbuilt bowl & twine
Handbuilt bowl
These decorative items were designed to be shown as a collection of totems, inspired by my time scouring the Pacific coastline for small treasures: stones, coral fragments, shells, driftwood, pinecones, and the like. The decorative display cases and the wall hanging chimes are designed to bring a sense of cohesion to these elements, as an audio-visual exploration of the natural world that inspires much of my work.
I am a ceramic artist who creates both functional tableware and sculptural forms. My work is inspired by the natural world, particularly the oceans & mountains of the Pacific Northwest, and by my admiration of other artists and the art they make. I'm particularly moved by Cristina Cordoba's otherworldly sculptures, the organic hand built forms of Paul Briggs, the surface decoration of Thomas Lucas (with whom I am studying in June 2025 at Arrowmont), and the whimsical functional pottery of local Richmond artist Carla Pillsbury.
A deep vein of personal and political grief is the foundation upon which I build my art. I intentionally seek joy, playfulness, and human connection to bolster me against the erosive forces at work in this world. Clay is my chosen medium because I delight in the unpredictability of the entire process from conception to creation. There is no certainty in clay, and the constant learning curve leads me to explore new ideas.
Because of my interest in natural and organic shapes and textures, I find endless fascination in the extremes of alternative and unpredictable firing methods, like raku. As a predominantly self-taught artist, I have followed my curiosity to build raku kilns and formulate my own glazes and oxides. My interest in alternative firings and glaze formulations comes from my interest in exploring the chemistry of ceramics. I plan to continue challenging myself to develop a deeper understanding of the materials used in the ceramic arts.
There is nothing like pulling a glowing pot out of a raku kiln, close to two thousand degrees, setting it ablaze in combustible materials, hoping it survives the thermal shock of the water quench, simply to hold it in your hands moments later. It's a magic trick, every single time.
I teach wheel throwing and hand building classes at Carved in Mud Studios in Richmond, Virginia. I blend mindful practices and embodied awareness into my throwing instruction to help learners build confidence and discover more immediate success with pottery. My classes focus on learning from failure, sharing practical tips, and including the voices and perspectives of our diverse community of learners. Most of my learners have taken my classes multiple times, and many go on to begin a studio membership and develop their own ceramic practice.
My professional background is in teaching excellence in higher education. I hold an MEd in Adult Learning with a focus on instructional design. I see adult learning as a path towards personal and political liberation, and my philosophy is informed by the transformative educators bell hooks, Paulo Freire, and Carl Rogers. My professional areas of expertise are in teaching with technology, student centered learning, mindful pedagogies, and authentic assessment strategies. I offer consulting on curriculum innovation and outcomes alignment.
My background in teaching excellence informs my pottery instruction. I believe that everyone learns best in supportive environments where they can feel safe and supported enough to challenge themselves, both intellectually, and artistically.