Hi! I’m Hannah Bronsnick, a potter based in Austin, Texas and originally from Ithaca, New York. I started making pottery when I was 13, in the basement studio of my mom’s close friend, Margie. In my weekly lessons I received as much attention and mentorship as I needed to learn and grow. There, I found my tribe in a close-knit, friendly community with people of all ages uniting over a great craft. I’m grateful to have started learning how to make pottery in such a warm and supportive environment. Margie passed away in 2015 but she’s with me each time I sit down at the wheel to throw a pot. 

The methods Margie taught me include basics such as how to make a mug handle by attaching a coil to the form and pulling it, so the handle ends up looking like it grew naturally out of the mug. This thoughtful, organic approach still influences my aesthetic.

In 2007, after making a home in Austin, TX, I continued my pottery practice with the great teachers and students at Clayways. Thursday night classes were filled with an eclectic group of nice people who all shared pottery in common, and it was fun to be part of a community there.

In 2016, I bought my own wheel and set up a studio in my garage. Now I glaze and fire my work with the folks at Sunset Canyon Pottery. They’re great potters who are very knowledgeable about the chemistry of glazing and firing, and allow every potter a lot of room to be an artist.

I make pottery because I love the tactile process of making it, especially throwing. Pottery is transformation—what starts as a piece of clay becomes something both beautiful and useful. When I make pottery, I’m fully focused on that act. It’s deep work that allows me to shed outside thoughts and center myself.