Ceramic artist Debi Manduca returned to Northern California in 2002 after living for several years on the East Coast and in Switzerland. Her return to ceramics began in 2000, when she entered an intensive pottery apprenticeship program and rediscovered an early love of working with clay.
In 2002, Debi founded Mudipaws Pottery, combining wheel-thrown forms with hand sculpture and her lifelong interest in animals. Her early work focused on dogs sculpted according to American Kennel Club breed standards as well as individual commissioned portraits. For many years, she exhibited exclusively at AKC dog shows throughout the country, and national breed organizations commissioned her to create original trophy series depicting dogs in conformation, agility, and obedience.
Today, Debi works independently from her Auburn, California studio, where she creates one-of-a-kind wheel-thrown and hand-sculpted ceramics. Her work has expanded beyond dogs to include wildlife such as giraffes, elephants, lions, rhinoceroses and pandas, along with a distinctive collection of sculptural snowmen. Each piece begins at the wheel and is then altered and sculpted by hand, allowing the character and personality of the subject to emerge.
Debi also formulates her own glazes, developing surfaces and colors specifically to complement her sculptural work. Her pieces bring together the precision of wheel throwing, the expressive possibilities of sculpture, and a close observation of the animals and characters that inspire her.
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