Leah Leitson

For the past twenty years, I have taken great inspiration from the natural world. From the lush swamps of Baton Rouge to the high peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, my porcelain forms and surface treatments are informed by the abundance and beauty of my surroundings. An equal partner in my creative interest is found amidst 18th and 19th Century decorative arts, particularly Rococo silver and Sèvres porcelain, where exaggerated or elongated components speak to my natural inclination toward balance and design. My imagination comes to life at the confluence of this historical foundation and my contemporary observations, resulting in elegant, whimsical, visually appealing, functional ceramics. While my work is always changing, there are certain features my imagination returns to again and again: undulating lobes, fluid lines, smooth ridges, bulbous features, and precise, decorative finishing touches on feet, handles, lips, or spouts. I’m drawn toward the suggestion of excess where glazes might pool or a thrown form might be altered beyond expectation; but I’m likewise wedded to utilitarian forms that flawlessly function and inspire a moment of delight or enjoyment each time the cup is lifted, the pitcher poured, the plate served, the creamer chilled.