a little romantic, a little strange

ceramics made by mud, fire, & samantha vanschoick

small batch, handmade, always romantic and sometimes functional

made in new england

Photo by Keith Claytor Photography

side fired bud vase with three wadding marks visible. The bud vase has a serene face sculpted on it with a lady bug on its cheek.
the front view of the side fired bud vase, which features a serene face with a long nose. The face has a ladybug on its right cheek and a cicada on its left cheek.
another view of the same vase which shows the details of the cicada and features a lovely orange peel effect from the wood ash of the wood fire kiln
the back of the woodfire vase, which has been made a blushy orange color from the wood fire kiln. The back features a slip trail design of leaves.

side-fired wood soda bud vase fired in the karma kiln

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because we all need more art

a textured "ruffle" vase looks like a Shakespearean collar and features drip of shino glaze
two tiny stacked bowls with a fluted texture. The exterior is an orangey red while the interior is the most perfect celadon blue.
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pots with presense

these pots are sculptures that command attention—anchors for the soul of any space. Whether they cradle flowers, hold keepsakes, or stand alone as art, they are unapologetically romantic and intriguingly strange, grounding your space with a touch of the extraordinary.

A decorative sculpture of a boy carrying a large decorative bowl on his shoulders.
Decorative ceramic vase with pampas grass, cherry blossoms, and green leaves, placed on a wooden table in front of an abstract painting.
A dark ceramic vase with an abstract shape, holding pinkish-red feathery flowers, set on a wooden surface.
Night sky visible through an aircraft window with stars scattered across the dark sky.
Close-up of a ceramic wood fired moth

wood fire magic

Each piece emerges from the kiln as a singular creation, kissed by flame and etched with the unpredictable poetry of ash. For me, clay is as much about community as it is about creativity, and it’s hard to think of a process more community-oriented than wood firing.

This ancient practice brings people together, from splitting wood to stoking the flames, weaving a shared story into every vessel. Romantic yet strange, these pieces hold stories as unique as the hands that shape them, waiting to find their place in your world.

The chimney of a wood fire kiln at night aglow with fire light. A flame erupts from the top of the chimney.
Close-up of the side of an old, weathered ceramic with a textured surface, set against a dark background.
A dark, textured ceramic vase with a small opening at the top, sitting on a wooden surface, with a frosty, pale green plant draped beside it.
A decorative ceramic vase shaped like a human ear, containing cotton stem branches with fluffy white cotton bolls. The arrangement is on a wooden surface with a textured abstract background.
Blue flowers in a small ceramic vase set against a brown background.

nose cups

who knew a nose could make such a great handle?

Meet the Nose Cups: quirky companions that breathe personality into your daily rituals. With their playful noses and whimsical details, these cups are far from ordinary. They evoke a smile with every glance, making tea or coffee feel like a conversation with a dear (and slightly odd) friend. A little romantic and undeniably strange, each Nose Cup brings charm, humor, and just the right dose of the unexpected to your moments of pause.

Close-up of a ceramic cup with two noses and textured details.
Three ceramic cups with noses, all placed on a wooden surface.
A person wearing a dark brown dress and ornate jewelry is holding an ancient ceramic or stone artifact resembling a small sculpture or figurine.
background texture of beach
A woman with dark wavy hair in a long brown dress, sitting on a black and white patterned sofa, smiling, surrounded by decorative vases and dried flowers on a wooden floor, with a beige wall in the background.

about the maker

A close-up of a beige and orange-colored insect-shaped ceramic or clay sculpture with detailed wings, legs, and antennae.

Strange Forms Ceramics is the creative world of Samantha VanSchoick, a self-described “jack-of-all-trades” artist who discovered her love for clay in 2022. Though new to ceramics, Samantha brings a background as a painter, poet, blacksmith, and all-around artistic explorer, infusing her pottery with curiosity and appreciation for the medium. She approaches the craft with humility and endless enthusiasm, fully embracing the journey of learning and growth.

A former intern at Northampton Pottery in Northampton, MA, Samantha now practices out of her home studio in Connecticut. She continues to refine her techniques, combining wheel-thrown and hand-built elements to create pieces that feel both grounded and ethereal. Inspired by nature and the curvature of the female form, her work is an homage to beauty—both wild and refined. These works are companions for a life a little romantic, a little strange, and entirely extraordinary.

A woman with dark brown hair holding a string of wooden ornaments painted with human eyes, wearing layered gold necklaces and a dark brown top.
black sand texture
black textured ceramic vessel. the base is a hand and there is an eyeball peering from the center of the pot.