Laura Rotelli
Maker Monday - August 2025
About the Artist
Name: Laura Rotelli
Medium: Ceramics
Years creating: Since childhood
SCAA member: 7 years
Based in: South Kingstown, RI
Instagram: @Kathleensgarden
Click an image to view slideshow
‘Laura has been exhibiting here at SCAA since 2018. She was featured in an Invitational Exhibition in 2019, and has won many awards with her spectacular ceramic work. Laura spend countless hours crafting intricate designs onto her pottery, and it never ceases to amaze visitors to the gallery. Continue on to read more about what inspires her.” - SCAA
Where are you from, and what do you make?
I was born in RI and currently live in South Kingstown. I create one-of-a-kind functional and sculptural ceramic works with heavily illustrated and/or carved surfaces.
How long have you been seriously pursuing art?
My childhood revolved around art.
My love of drawing at a young age progressed to private oil painting classes and attending RISD’s young artists summer camp a few times. I was blessed to have parents that supported my passion. I was also lucky to then attend a high school with a robust art department including ceramics. I was instantly captivated by the tactile and expressive possibilities, and my love of working with clay began. Although I chose a different path for my career, I have always been able to incorporate some sort of art into my life. While working and raising my two children I would take all kinds of art, ceramic, sewing, or other crafting classes. About 9 years ago I was able to stop working full time and began taking pottery classes at SCAA consistently, eventually becoming a pottery studio member. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I created a small pottery studio in my home where I now produce my works.
What inspires you to create?
I draw my influence and inspiration from the ocean’s mystique and the rich biodiversity of marine wildlife. The significance of the early shipping and whaling industries and the historical maritime artwork depicting them have a large impact on my work. I’m also drawn to and inspired by antique hand painted pottery from China, Japan, Turkey, etc.
Which artist outside of your chosen medium has had the most impact on your art? What do they do and in what way do they influence you?
I am drawn to historic maritime artwork as well as early American folk art. Ship portraitists such as Antonio Jacobsen, James Bard, Thomas Birch come to mind, and American ‘Primitive’ folk artists such as Anna Mary Robertson Moses (Grandma Moses), and Ralph and Martha Cahoon.
Is there a work of art that has changed your life or how you view the world in some way?
While I cannot pick one work of art, I would say my fascination and enthusiasm to create has always been influenced by antique maritime artwork. Just imagining small crews of sailors left to fend for themselves, floating in seas so big, deep and powerful, in the middle of nowhere. Man vs sea. It was during these long and dangerous voyages that the seamen and women would paint, draw, sculpt and scrimshaw fabulous pieces of folk art that would portray their main inspiration from the sea. I recently visited the new Exhibit at the Mystic Seaport Museum called Monstrous: Whaling and Its Colossal Impact. I was blown away by the 51 foot mural titled Or, The Whale, by contemporary artist Jos Sances. It’s an incredible life-sized sperm whale created from 119 intricately illustrated panels depicting a visual journey through three centuries of American industrialism. It’s truly incredible!
As a member of SCAA, what do you like most about us?
First and foremost, I love the community that SCAA has created for local artists. The classes offered, and the instructors teaching the classes are simply amazing. While I enjoy the ease of having a small studio with a wheel and kiln in my home, I very much miss the community and camaraderie provided by being a pottery studio member at SCAA.
Tell us a joke.
What happened when a ship carrying red paint collided with a ship carrying blue paint?
Both crews were marooned!