Our current artists: Katie Ballantine, Susan Beyer, Kolleen Jenne, Desi Murphy, Joe Singewald, Andrew & Katie Webster, and Timothy Zlatic.
Katie Ballantine: Pottery, Plants, and Artisan Soap
Katie Ballantine is a locally grown, self-taught design consultant and visual artist. She lives on a Tamarack peat bog in rural Collegeville township where she happily tends her own small plot of earth: “I grew up with my hands in the dirt: Playing, planting, building. Every path I have walked in my life has been informed by a deep reverence for the ground I walk on. Clay as a medium translates feeling into form, relating substance to space. I am drawn to the honesty, the groundedness of clay. Like digging in the dirt, it invokes a deep sense of continuity in me.” Katie also sells orchids and other plants at the co-op.
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Instagram: @theballantinecompany
Susan Beyer: Crowded House
Since Susan was young, she’s loved being outside and being immersed in nature. In her own words from an interview she gave in 2008, she says, “Being a potter is the closest thing to being outside”. Susan’s first venture into ceramics was in the working as a production ceramicist in Missouri with her four children. While production work wasn’t the creative outlet she was looking for, it made up for in experience. Over the years, she transitioned to the work she does now: explorative, nature-inspired, and playful ceramic and pottery making. As of present-day, she’s in the process of transferring the stewardship of her business to her son, Timothy Zlatic of Maiden MN.
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Website: www.crowdedhousepottery.com
Instagram: @crowdedhousepottery
Facebook: Crowded House Pottery
Kolleen Jenne: Kilnworks
In an interview, Kolleen speaks about her artistic process, artistic beginnings, and current style; “After I spent a few years getting reacquainted with my wheel I discovered I truly prefer hand-building; this process offers such portability, such as working beside a campfire or on the beach. Hand-building also presents endless opportunities for texture. You’ll notice a broad range of color and surface design in my work. My love of Ceramics began during high school and in the recent decade, I’ve jumped at any opportunity to learn from a long list of well-recognized potters across the country. I thoroughly enjoy the peace of the process and relaxing experience of making. Creativity brings me much joy, and I hope that joy is shared with you!”
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Facebook: Kilnworks by Kolleen Jenne
Desi Murphy: Scandinavian Minimalist Pottery
Desi Murphy has been painting and designing clay pieces for over 27 years. Her Scandinavian Modern style prioritizes clean lines, functionality, sophistication, and a neutral palate. She focuses on craftsmanship and perfecting her process on simple forms. She also focuses on materials that emphasize a clean aesthetic, like developing and mixing her own glazes and paint colors. Murphy received her Bachelor’s Degree in Art from the College of St. Benedict and exhibits her award-winning artwork throughout Minnesota. She is also the owner of Desi Murphy Pottery; a commercial art studio and gallery located in North St. Cloud. “
Unbounded by materials or discipline, my intention is to design and create pieces that bring a sense of calm and stillness. My artwork reflects my Scandinavian heritage, referencing Modern Minimalism that prioritizes balance using clean lines and simple compositions.”
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Website: www.desimurphy.com
Instagram: @desimurphypottery
Facebook: Desi Murphy Pottery
Joe Singewald: Functional Pottery
Joe Singewald grew up in northeast Iowa where he discovered his appreciation for handmade pottery. He is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin–Rivers Falls and received a Master of Fine Arts from Utah State University. Joe’s utilitarian vessels have been in multiple exhibitions throughout the country, including NCECA Clay National and Strictly Functional Pottery National. He has been included in the Saint Croix Valley Pottery Tour since 2023. Singewald was a 2015 Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant recipient and is currently the Art Department Studio Technician and Adjunct Professor of Art at the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University in Central Minnesota. He lives and maintains a studio in Cold Spring, MN with his wife and three daughters.
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Website: www.joesingewaldpottery.com
Instagram: @joesingewaldpottery
Facebook: Joe Singewald-Pottery
Andrew & Katie Webster: Webster Pottery
In collaboration, the Websters make finely crafted utilitarian pottery decorated with imagery inspired by the natural world. Their process of creating pottery is collaborative from start to finish, allowing Katie and Andrew to bring their unique strengths and perspectives to the finished work. The finished work portrays a synthesis of the Websters’ craftsmanship, creativity, and togetherness.
From an early age, Andrew was drawn to creativity of all kinds and followed that passion into his professional studies in Art History and Ceramics. Today, his work combines influences from ancient artistic traditions, nature, texture, and utility.
Katie’s passion for pottery began and was fostered through working at public ceramic studios in St. Cloud, Minnesota, such as the Paramount Visual Arts Center. In addition to pottery, she works part-time as a therapist.
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Website: www.websterpottery.art
Instagram: @webster_pottery
Facebook: Webster Pottery
Timothy Zlatic: Maiden MN
Timothy was raised in the craft of ceramics from a young age. His mother, Susan Beyer, created her ceramic business Crowded House Pottery in the 80s and versed her son in her craft. He studied at the Oregon College of Art and Craft where he gained experience with new materials and techniques. Today, he stewards the family studio by fusing the studio’s long-running traditions with a fine art foundation. He uses analog collage and printmaking techniques to infuse pieces with dynamic patterns and vivid hues.
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Website: www.maidenmn.net
Instagram: @maiden.mn
Minnesota Street Market 