My Story
Lake Michigan Ceramic Artist
Hi, I’m Cyndi Casemier, a ceramic artist living and working in Grand Haven, Michigan.
I grew up near Lake Michigan, and the shoreline has always been part of how I understand place. Water, sand, changing light, wind and the movement of waves continue to influence the way I see and the work I make.
Clay became part of my life while I was raising my family in Vermont. What began with a community ceramics class grew into more than 30 years of making, learning, traveling and studying with other artists.
Today, I create one-of-a-kind ceramic vessels, bowls, mugs and sculptural forms in my Grand Haven studio. I work primarily with porcelain, using both handbuilding and wheel-thrown techniques. Coils, carved lines, impressions and irregular surfaces often remain visible as evidence of the making process.
Lake Michigan is sometimes physically present in my work as well. I incorporate sand gathered along the shoreline into many of my glazes. During firing, the sand becomes part of the ceramic surface, creating texture and variations that cannot be repeated exactly.
I believe art belongs in everyday life. A handmade mug can become part of a morning routine. A bowl can sit at the center of a family table. A vessel can simply be something that makes you stop and look.
