Bio in Brief

Black Leopard Clayware owner and award-winning sculptor Judith Enright began producing tile and pottery in 1993 and started her studio in San Jose, California, the following year. Her work can be found in local Bay area venues, and her commissioned sculptural works are in the homes of collectors from around the world. She is the author of Clay Speak: Terms, Tips & Techniques for the New Clay Artist.

In 1999, Judith began looking at ways her studio could enhance awareness in the ceramic arts through education. Her mission: To provide high-quality pottery courses with a focus on individual learning. She began teaching in 2001, with class sizes no larger than 4 students. BLC's pottery courses are available to artists with all levels of experience, and include wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpting, decorating, and glazing techniques.

In 2003, Judith brought a new show, Art Off The Ave, to the local Bay area's micro-festival scene. This annual Spring multi-media art show gives emerging artists the opportunity to show their finest work for the first time, while exhibiting alongside established artists. Customers get to hang out with the artists and their work in an intimate venue, and the artists get to show and talk about their art. The show welcomes all inquiries.

Judith regularly contributes to local community service clay projects and supports local art organizations. She resides with her husband, three dogs and a cat in San Jose, California.

Awards, Education & Professional Associations

• Sculpture category award, Best of California Artists & Artisans 2006

• Glaze Basics (Chic Lotz), Mendocino Art Center, 2008
• Surface Treatments (Potter's Council Conference), Mother Earth Clay Art Center, 2006
• Handbuilding Techniques (Vince Pitelka), Mendocino Art Center, 2004
• Sculpture (Adrienne Duncan), Pacific Art League, 2003
• Incised Cuerda Seca Techniques (Pat Wehrman), Orchard Valley Ceramic Arts Guild, 2002
• Thrown/Altered Forms (Ingrid Lilligren), Mendocino Art Center, 2001
• Pitfire Techniques (Mark Bugaski), Mendocino Art Center, 1996
• Working with Porcelain (Jim Danisch), Mendocino Art Center, 1996
• Tile-making (Kent Rothman), Mendocino Art Center, 1995
• Majolica Design (Walter Ostrom), Oregon School of Arts & Crafts, 1994
• University of Arizona, BA, 1978

• Member of the Potters Council; Orchard Valley Ceramic Arts Guild

Community Service & Special Projects

• April 2004 to Present: Board of Directors, Orchard Valley Ceramic Arts Guild (OVCAG) in Sunnyvale, California. Chairman of the Board from April 2004 to March 2007. This 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2000, is dedicated to fostering a creative, innovative and supportive environment for the education of students, professionals and the public in the ceramic arts.
• April 2004-July 2005: President, OVCAG.
• September 2002-2003: Membership Chair, Webmaster, OVCAG.
• 2001-2006: Produced annual tile-making events for students and parents at the San Jose Parents' Participatory Nursery School in San Jose, California.
• December 1998 to September 2000: Director of the Advisory Board of Silicon Valley Visual Arts, Inc. This is a nonprofit organization which sponsors Silicon Valley Open Studios and other arts-based educational programs.
• 1996, 1997: Artist Donor to public television KTEH's 6th and 7th Annual Art Auctions.
• April 1995: Conceived the design, production, and installation of five separate tile murals at Hellyer Elementary School, San Jose, California, teaming up with the school's students and the International Community Services Foundation.