Anna Holcombe

Anna Calluori Holcombe is known for porcelain ceramics, both functional and sculptural, inspired by the forms of the natural world. Calluori Holcombe works in series. Calluori Holcombe’s work also combines clay and technology by using 3D digital scanners and 3D printing to make realistic molds for porcelain, and firing with digital decals.

Anna Calluori Holcombe’s older work was influenced by the concept of still life painting. Calluori Holcombe was inspired by “modern and contemporary artists depicting the everyday objects, such as Cezanne, Picasso, and Elizabeth Murray,” and how still-life artists can “repeatedly paint such simple everyday objects and brilliantly capture their mystical qualities.”1 This research series began when Calluori Holcombe was a resident at the Archie Bray Foundation in 1991. The work was made of slab-built earthenware clay and glazed with terra sigillate and stains for color.

Anna Calluori Holcombe has had short term residencies at the Red Lodge Clay Center in Red Lodge, Montana, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan, the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China, Australia National University, Canberra, A.I.R Vallauris in Vallauris, France, the International Ceramics Studio in Kesckemet, Hungary, and Watershed Center for the Arts in Maine.

Anna Calluori Holcombe was a professor of art for many years and influenced countless makers in clay and in the use of 3D digital scanners. Her students include Ben Cater, Patrick Coughlin, Adrienne Eliades, Mike Negrishi Laidlaw, Mario Multis, Dandee Pattee, Todd Shanafelt, and Charity White.

Calluori Holcombe was a contributing writer for Ceramics Technical. Her influencing mentors include William McCreath and Joe Bova.