I recently acquired an amusing piece of ceramic art: an Alison Palmer stoneware ceramic deer antler container, from around 2006. I successfully negotiated with the shop owner and walked out with it right away.
Growing up in Montana, I encountered many influential ceramic artists, including Peter Voulkos, known for abstract expressionistic ceramics; Rudy Autio, recognized for his Matisse-like pieces; and Akio Takamori, who celebrated figurative ceramic works. Palmer recently showcased her work at the Saratoga Clay Arts Center. This exhibition, titled "Dream Animals," also featured the work of Sue Tirrell, a ceramic artist native to Red Lodge, MT.
Initial research from a Connecticut newspaper revealed that Palmer and her husband began their careers with a company called “Ashes to Ashes,” which created handcrafted funerary urns for animals. This work involved supporting grieving clients. As I've learned, pets are cherished family members whose loss is deeply mourned—a pain that diminishes over time but never fully disappears, similar to dealing with any great personal loss in a pastoral context.
The deep symbolic meaning and air of mystery surrounding animal figures are notable features of Ancient Egyptian Art History. Palmer borrows parallels between her tall, round cylinders with hand-formed animal lids and ancient Egyptian canopic jars. The historical vessels were used in mummification to safeguard the internal organs for the afterlife, often featuring lids sculpted as baboons, falcons, or jackals. Similarly, Palmer’s lids include animals like dogs, goats, and bears. The piece I acquired features a reclining deer with prominent ears and antlers on the lid (below).
The hand-built primitive Palmer jar features a carved, oversized toothy-grin, a long nose with large, "curry-que" nostrils, and incised, three-layer doe eyes. The buckskin finish is accented with random brown dots. These stoneware jars are wood-fired with soda ash, a process that imparts a soft, satin sheen to this piece. The kiln fire and ash contribute to the spontaneous and unpredictable finishes of her works.
Palmer, born in New York City but spent most of her formative years in the suburbs. Art was a constant presence in her life, influenced by her mother, an artist, and her father, an accomplished woodworker, which gave her early exposure to tools and art materials. After high school, she attended the Kansas City Art Institute for its foundation program and then graduated with high distinction from the California College of Arts and Crafts with a BFA in ceramics.
Growing up in Montana, I encountered many influential ceramic artists, including Peter Voulkos, known for abstract expressionistic ceramics; Rudy Autio, recognized for his Matisse-like pieces; and Akio Takamori, who celebrated figurative ceramic works. Palmer recently showcased her work at the Saratoga Clay Arts Center. This exhibition, titled "Dream Animals," also featured the work of Sue Tirrell, a ceramic artist native to Red Lodge, MT.
Initial research from a Connecticut newspaper revealed that Palmer and her husband began their careers with a company called “Ashes to Ashes,” which created handcrafted funerary urns for animals. This work involved supporting grieving clients. As I've learned, pets are cherished family members whose loss is deeply mourned—a pain that diminishes over time but never fully disappears, similar to dealing with any great personal loss in a pastoral context.
The deep symbolic meaning and air of mystery surrounding animal figures are notable features of Ancient Egyptian Art History. Palmer borrows parallels between her tall, round cylinders with hand-formed animal lids and ancient Egyptian canopic jars. The historical vessels were used in mummification to safeguard the internal organs for the afterlife, often featuring lids sculpted as baboons, falcons, or jackals. Similarly, Palmer’s lids include animals like dogs, goats, and bears. The piece I acquired features a reclining deer with prominent ears and antlers on the lid (below).
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| "Antler Canister" Handbuilt/Incised Stoneware 21 1/2" H X 6" D Signed Base: Palmer |
Palmer, born in New York City but spent most of her formative years in the suburbs. Art was a constant presence in her life, influenced by her mother, an artist, and her father, an accomplished woodworker, which gave her early exposure to tools and art materials. After high school, she attended the Kansas City Art Institute for its foundation program and then graduated with high distinction from the California College of Arts and Crafts with a BFA in ceramics.
Following graduation, Palmer worked as a craft instructor for four years in a mental health facility before deciding to pursue her ceramics full-time. She entered the world of wholesale craft shows to support herself, where she met her husband, Steve Katz. They combined efforts to run the wholesale business while Steve continued his musical career with the famed group, Blood Sweat and Tears. Their business concentrated on operating two distinct types of kilns: a wood-soda fire kiln and a low-fired casting slip kiln for tableware.
Following the 2008 recession, Alison Palmer shifted her focus away from wholesale accounts, which had largely been lost, toward creating unique, limited-production ceramic pieces. This new direction is defined by the use of atmospheric kilns, specifically her own wood and soda fire kilns.
To support this venture now, Palmer utilizes her expansive 3,400-square-foot studio in South Kent to host approximately 12 workshops annually. These events attract a diverse international audience, with participants traveling from as far as Europe and the West Coast, and feature world-class guest instructors.
The studio has a notable history, having hosted over 150 workshops with a distinguished roster of clay artists, including Jen Allen, Noel Bailey, Paul S. Briggs, Linda Christianson, Candice Methe, Bandana Pottery, and Akira Satake. International presenters have featured Anne Mette Hjortshøj (Denmark), Ken Matsuzaki (Japan), and Elena Renker (Australia), along with Zulu pottery from South Africa. The studio is also the annual site for Steven Hill’s "Journey" workshop, a prestigious three-part immersion led by one of the craft’s most esteemed masters.
Palmer’s current exhibition schedule involves participation in approximately one show per year, in addition to the popular Clayway tour in Connecticut. After the firing process, all finished work is photographed and uploaded to her Shopify page. Her ceramic art has been widely featured, including exhibitions at the Smithsonian Craft Show, the Baltimore American Craft Council show, the Philadelphia Buyers Market, and the New York International Gift Fair. Her pieces have also appeared in prestigious retail catalogs for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Her next major exhibit is the 60th conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).
The artist and her husband dedicate their winters to working in Mexico, where they concentrate on designing new ceramic pieces, engaging in printmaking, and developing new workshop programming and promotional flyers.
Laurel Tuohy, Pottery with Panache by Alison Palmer, Housatonic Home, Housatonic Publications, division of Housatonic Acquisition, LLC, 65 Bank St., New Milford, CT, January, 2006.
Sandra Diamond Fox, A Marriage of Art and Music, Connecticut Post, Hearst Media Services, Connecticut LLC., Nov. 27, 2013.
John Torsiello, Kent Ceramic Artist Found Her Path Early and Hasn’t Stopped Since, Connecticut Post, Hearst Media Services, Connecticut LLC., Oct. 20, 2020.
Janet Serra, Connecticut Travel Blog - “To Mexico & Back: Alison Palmer’s Paper and Clay” @ Brookfield Craft Center, Posted July 7, 2018.
The Register Citizen, Sharon Historical Society Presents a Show with Alison Palmer, Hearst Media Services, Connecticut LLC., Sept. 5, 2018.
Ceramic Monthly, Clay Culture: Hosting Workshops, Alison Palmer, Article, Feb. 2024
Alison Palmer, Artist Statement and Bio: alisonpalmerstudio.com/about-us
Following the 2008 recession, Alison Palmer shifted her focus away from wholesale accounts, which had largely been lost, toward creating unique, limited-production ceramic pieces. This new direction is defined by the use of atmospheric kilns, specifically her own wood and soda fire kilns.
To support this venture now, Palmer utilizes her expansive 3,400-square-foot studio in South Kent to host approximately 12 workshops annually. These events attract a diverse international audience, with participants traveling from as far as Europe and the West Coast, and feature world-class guest instructors.
The studio has a notable history, having hosted over 150 workshops with a distinguished roster of clay artists, including Jen Allen, Noel Bailey, Paul S. Briggs, Linda Christianson, Candice Methe, Bandana Pottery, and Akira Satake. International presenters have featured Anne Mette Hjortshøj (Denmark), Ken Matsuzaki (Japan), and Elena Renker (Australia), along with Zulu pottery from South Africa. The studio is also the annual site for Steven Hill’s "Journey" workshop, a prestigious three-part immersion led by one of the craft’s most esteemed masters.
Palmer’s current exhibition schedule involves participation in approximately one show per year, in addition to the popular Clayway tour in Connecticut. After the firing process, all finished work is photographed and uploaded to her Shopify page. Her ceramic art has been widely featured, including exhibitions at the Smithsonian Craft Show, the Baltimore American Craft Council show, the Philadelphia Buyers Market, and the New York International Gift Fair. Her pieces have also appeared in prestigious retail catalogs for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Her next major exhibit is the 60th conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).
The artist and her husband dedicate their winters to working in Mexico, where they concentrate on designing new ceramic pieces, engaging in printmaking, and developing new workshop programming and promotional flyers.
References and Documentation:
Alison Palmer below -
Sandra Diamond Fox, A Marriage of Art and Music, Connecticut Post, Hearst Media Services, Connecticut LLC., Nov. 27, 2013.
John Torsiello, Kent Ceramic Artist Found Her Path Early and Hasn’t Stopped Since, Connecticut Post, Hearst Media Services, Connecticut LLC., Oct. 20, 2020.
Janet Serra, Connecticut Travel Blog - “To Mexico & Back: Alison Palmer’s Paper and Clay” @ Brookfield Craft Center, Posted July 7, 2018.
The Register Citizen, Sharon Historical Society Presents a Show with Alison Palmer, Hearst Media Services, Connecticut LLC., Sept. 5, 2018.
Ceramic Monthly, Clay Culture: Hosting Workshops, Alison Palmer, Article, Feb. 2024
Alison Palmer, Artist Statement and Bio: alisonpalmerstudio.com/about-us
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©2026. Waller-Yoblonsky Fine Art is a research collaborative, working to track artists that got lost and overlooked due to time, changing styles, race, gender and/or sexual orientation. Our frequent blogs highlight artists and art movements that need renewed attention with improved information for the researcher and art collectors. The photos and blog was created by Mr. Waller and all written materials were obtained by the Fair Use Section 107, of The Copyright Act. #alisonpalmer #alisonpalmerceramicartist #alisonpalmerceramics #Connecticutceramicartist #walleryoblonskyfineartblog #walleryoblonskyblog
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