Natalie Boorman - Pit Fired and Raku Pottery

Natalie Boorman was born and raised in Minnesota where she lived on a farm until attending college.  She received her BS degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota in 1967 and in 1983, earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from UNC.  She lived in WI, MI, The Netherlands, CA and in 1977 moved to North Carolina, where she settled and began her work with clay. Throughout her life in NC she has discovered her clinical social work and artistic expression with clay often compliment each other. Though her first artistic love is clay, she has also enjoyed painting with oils and water colors during most of her life, including her life in The Netherlands.  

During her 40+ years here in NC Natalie has studied ceramics locally and  attended numerous workshops at Penland School, John C. Campbell School of Crafts and Haystack in Maine.  The late Paulus Berensohn and Jimmy Clark heavily influence her current work. Paulus helped her appreciate the art of pinching and Jimmy introduced her to the concept and technique of making large pinch pots.