Meet Ohio-Based Ceramicist, Gina DeSantis
For elegant and comforting earthenware ceramics for your Fall table, look no further than the beautiful work of Cleveland-area maker, Gina DeSantis.
Gina DeSantis is the lead creator behind her brand, Gina DeSantis Ceramics, a brand that has been scooped up by Uncommon Goods, Anthropologie, McGee & Co, and Shoppe Amber Interiors, along with over 400 retailers around the country.
Gina has worked with clay since 1999, formally beginning her ceramic studies at her local community college. By 2006, she earned her MFA from Kent State University, and in 2013, she founded her self-titled business.
These days, Gina and her team work out of an old automobile factory in Lakewood, Ohio (just west of Cleveland). All work offered by the brand is designed and thrown by Gina herself. Her team helps in trimming, handling mugs, glaze development, glazing pots, firing work, and working on hand-built items. The entire team is hands-on in the process, so she can proudly state her work is made in the USA.
For her unique Crater Collection, Gina works closely with a trusted manufacturer in Hong Kong to create this line of porcelain vases. Then each vase is hand-glazed in her studio in Ohio. We caught up with Gina ahead of the busy entertaining season to find out more about her values and goals to create well-crafted functional wares for the home and table.
Where do you call home and what would you recommend to Vacationers to see and do who were coming to visit?
Gina DeSantis: I live in Lakewood, Ohio, which is just west of Cleveland. It’s a very small town that is walkable and full of restaurants and shops. We have a beautiful lakefront park where I take my dogs for walks, and it is within driving distance to Edgewater Park in Cleveland. We have gorgeous metroparks in the area, so I recommend them to everyone visiting. Cleveland is also a great town if you are a foodie. I recommend Amba, Fat Cats, Luxe, and Momocho. In Lakewood Arts, Harlow’s Pizza, and Thai Thai are my favorite spots.
What have been some of your recent travel destination highlights, either for work or leisure?
I had the pleasure of visiting Oaxaca, Mexico in 2024 for the Day of the Dead Celebrations. This city is a must for anyone interested in fine craft. I traveled with a group and visited pottery, textile, and candle-making studios. We were able to participate in a smaller neighborhood’s Day of the Dead Celebration. We also went to a family’s home to help build their shrine. They cooked us an amazing meal, and we enjoyed mezcal. Oaxaca is a gastronomic center of Mexico known for its mole and mezcal. We had the pleasure of learning to make tamales and one kind of mole, which was one of my favorite experiences.
Any destinations still on your ‘bucket list?’
I would love a month to explore art in France and Italy. This was a trip that was sidelined by Covid in 2020. This is next on my list. As someone who studied art history, it’s my top dream trip.
I have a fairly generic view of the aesthetic as tactile, a balance of form and function. What is your approach to ceramics and are you influenced by the history and techniques of other cultures?
Ceramics has such a rich history. I was introduced to clay in college and never looked back. Personally, I come from a long line of home cooks with an Italian grandma on my dad’s side of the family and my mom’s mom being of German Polish lineage. I grew up eating amazing homemade meals and learned to cook in high school. My work centers around this love of cooking. I gravitate towards items I personally need in my kitchen.
You proudly make your ceramics in Ohio. What is uniquely American about your ceramics and ceramics in general?
Ceramics is such a vast medium. There are so many styles unique to each area where it is produced. American ceramics definitely draws on the masters of Asian and English pottery. My work is a reflection of my environment in that I love rich colors and texture. I don’t know that anything about it is specific to this country, but I do pride myself on being a handmade and American-made brand, especially in a time of mass production. Growing up in the Rust Belt, I was surrounded by all types of art and an area rich with small businesses. I think the mentality of making something out of nothing is a direct reflection of my home.
As we head towards Autumn, I look at doing entertaining and tableware product guides. What are some of your favorite pieces that you’ll be setting your Fall dinner table with?
I have never been a “matchy” type of person when it comes to my own home. I have a collection of old and new pieces from furniture to dinnerware. I set my table with my work and a collection of pieces from other artists. I really love to entertain therefore the new large trays from the Sandalewood Collection will be in regular rotation. This collection is the most “me” collection I have ever created. I have a great caned dining table set that was my grandmother’s that inspired these pieces. It is a simple palette with tons of texture. Its casual and zen. I like a laid back, cozy home.
Your career trajectory has been remarkable—from community college to Anthropologie. What’s your secret?
My trajectory on paper looks far more dramatic than it has felt. I have definitely experienced highs and lows. It’s essential for young artists and designers to recognize that this is a path that is not linear. I taught out of my studio for years to support my art habit. I did not quit my day job until I was 33. Anthropologie started carrying my work online in 2000. And now in 2025, I can announce I have work online with Nordstrom. In between all of these highlights are ups and downs from gaining and losing accounts. A lot of stores have shuttered due to the economic conditions, but new ones open in their place. I do not think there is any secret to success. It involves commitment of time to your business and your craft.
I think what sets me apart is my ability to pivot. You can’t let everything thrown at you knock you down. This year has been especially challenging due to the tariff scare and current feelings of uncertainty. I try to keep making high quality art and getting better at my craft and how I present it to the world.
Anything coming up, from sales to events to classes?
I am excited to be online with Nordstrom and hope to add new pieces to what they carry this year. My website and Instagram are the best ways for shoppers to keep up with my work. I am focusing on some shop updates around the holiday season and shows at my studio building in Lakewood. I am also offering a few workshops at the space for potter’s in September along with my staff. In no way am I going back to teaching, but I will likely offer pop-up workshops here and there as my schedule permits.
I consider myself lucky to do what I do for a living. I never thought I could make a life out of clay. I hope people continue to learn more about fine craft and support makers and artists. Small business loves you and needs you!
Learn more about Gina DeSantis here, browse her work, and consider visiting her open studio. Follow Gina on Instagram here.
