Megan Mitchell

Chip Clawson is known for architectural ceramics, sculpture, and pottery. He focuses on large-scale architectural works for which he relies on his home studio and yard to develop prototypes. Works are often mixed media: clay, concrete, and other material. He draws inspiration from the natural, man-made and site-specific worlds related to his creations. Large-scale projects may be benches or walls that are sculptural forms or sets of monumental arches with unique column structures. Clawson encourages audience?s engagement with each sculptural environments he creates. Since retiring from Archie Bray, his own small yard has become a living installation of twisting poured concrete columns with random layers of small earthenware press molded sea shells like ?fossils? forms.

In addition to his personal creations, Clawson is largely responsible for the development and sustainability of the Clay Business at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, located in Helena, Montana. A skilled ceramics technician, Clawson devoted 27 years to developing an advanced retail pottery supply business for the Foundation, designing and building machines at the Foundation to manufacture clay on-site, developing reliable clay bodies and managing both staff and inventory. Due in a large part to Clawson?s efforts, the Archie Bray Foundation Clay Business has developed into a leader in Pacific North West Ceramics Retail, while providing significant financial support to the Foundation.