Serious Play

Emma Terry (@madebyemmapie) is the Program and Communication Director for UVA Arts, a Charlottesville-based ceramic artist, teaching artist at City Clay, and member of Milkweed Clay Studio. A lifelong maker who discovered clay in 2023, she approaches her work with a spirit of curiosity and joy, seeing play not as frivolity but as a pathway to discovery. Her practice centers on creating sculptural and functional pieces that serve as vessels for wonder—shrines, portals, and whimsical companions that invite pause, reflection, and delight.

Rooted in both storytelling and the tactile nature of clay, Emma’s work balances durability with imagination, favoring clean lines, lively glazes, and thoughtful handbuilt details. Much of her process is guided by experimentation, inventing new ways to shape, alter, and adorn her forms. She draws inspiration from the quiet magic of everyday objects and the fleeting beauty of the natural world. Through her pieces, Emma hopes to share a spark of that same awe and playfulness that clay continues to bring her every day.