Visiting Artist Highlight: Brooke Felix

/

Brooke Felix (she/her)
@Felix.Ceramics

Brooke Felix was born in Southern California and is currently a Washington State resident. Brooke began her journey with clay in 2018 when she took a pottery class at Green River Community College. Following those classes, Brooke volunteered at Green River until 2020. In 2019 she worked at an overnight camp in Becket, Massachusetts teaching crafts and ceramics to children and teens. For two years Brooke worked as an assistant to Deborah Schwartzkopf at Rat City Studios in West Seattle till 2022. She currently works at Rain City Clay as an instructor teaching one-night clay events. Brooke has also taught sessional 8-week classes at RCC. Brooke continues to make her own pottery and develop her body of work in one of RCC’s semi-private studios.

Brooke makes wheel thrown and handbuilt pottery and sculpture with hand-painted underglaze decorations inspired by pop culture, graffiti, and the environments she lives in and grew up in.

Artist Statement:
My pottery explores a fusion of memoryscape, intention and vision. Adding pops of color with underglaze to pay homage to the urban LA and Seattle skyline, and using an earthy red and raw clay body represents the Arizona desert. By making my vision come to fruition the goal is to have a place when your day begins, from a hot cup of tea to making a breakfast sandwich on a plate.

/ /

Deborah Schwartzkopf

As a studio artist, she makes fabulous tableware that infuses life with purposeful beauty. Deb was inspired by the guidance of amazing mentors along the way. These important relationships fostered her desire to engage and build community through clay. Her adventurous spirit has taken her across the country and beyond to form a depth of experience, knowledge, and a supportive network.

In 2013 Deb established Rat City Studios in her hometown of Seattle, WA. RCS is her home and personal studio, as well as, a creative space for multiple studio members working independently. In 2022 she opened a sister studio, Rain City Clay in West Seattle. RCC is a community art center focusing on experiential learning through ceramics classes of all levels.

With over 15 years of experience, a Master’s of Fine Art at Penn State, artwork included in collections such as the Kamm Teapot Foundation, San Angelo Museum, and the WA State Arts Collection, numerous publications including Ceramic Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Studio Potter Magazine, she has been recognized and honored in her career as a maker.