Jody Elston’s first interest in clay began at age 16 when she built her first potter’s wheel. She holds a degree in art education from Northern State University, Aberdeen SD, where she also began graduate studies in ceramics. At this time she was influenced by her ceramics instructor, Mark Shekore and through a studio experience with Don Reitz, began to study the skills and techniques of ceramics.
     Jody has lived in the Steamboat Springs area since 1985, where she has grown in other areas of art including watercolor painting. Jody began teaching ceramics at Colorado Mountain College in 2003 through her association with Jonathon Kaplan at Ceramic Design Group. She now works in her own studio in her home in Stagecoach.
     Each of Jody’s pieces is a one of a kind piece of art created by hand. Her techniques often utilize the potter’s wheel and she most often alters pieces, painting the surface with sprigs, slips, and stamps. She also combines her desire to paint on clay via the majolica technique to illustrate scenes and still life on pieces. While Jody’s clay leans toward the functional side, she explores the personality of each piece, in hopes that it may create a moment of joy in our every day lives.
     Jody’s work has been shown in venues in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and South Dakota. She is a charter member of the Steamboat Clay Artisans. Jody can be reached at (970) 736-2629 or via e-mail elstonjody@netscape.com.

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