Beautiful Mugs by Zahava Friedman

Sgraffito artist Zahava Friedman

Sgraffito artist Zahava Friedman is a ceramic artist based in Western Massachusetts whose work draws deeply from nature and a lived connection to the outdoors. She creates functional pottery that unites form and surface, using the sgraffito technique—scratching through layers of colored slip or underglaze—to reveal crisp, contrasting designs beneath.

These mugs exemplify her approach. Thrown for daily use, they feature carved, rhythmic patterns that animate the surface while maintaining a balanced, comfortable form. The interiors glow with rich color, while the exteriors retain a tactile, hand-worked quality that invites touch.

Friedman began working with clay as a child at the Rhode Island School of Design and later studied at Guilford College. She has been active in clay communities on both the East and West Coasts, and her work reflects both technical precision and the quiet pleasure of making objects meant to be used.

In addition to her studio practice, Zahava is a speech and language therapist and hopes to one day bring these passions together through therapeutic clay workshops for children. Her pottery can be explored further through her studio, Inner Light Pottery.

• Clay body: Red B Mix
• AMACO White Velvet underglaze
• Liquid quartz (outside)