Katie Poterala currently lives and works in her native home: Greenville, South Carolina. She received an MFA from Arizona State University and a BFA from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. In addition to her studio practice, she has taught metalsmithing and 3D design classes at ASU, as well as various metals workshops in upstate SC. Katie is an active member of her field, and currently focuses on exhibiton and production of both conceptual artwork and a functional jewelry line.

Katie’s work implies of a sense of history, and is sensitive to the delicate relationship between beauty and decay, as well as our relationships to precious objects. Her work combines the opulence of faceted stones and gold with surfaces that reference provocative textures, colors, and spontaneity
found in natural growth and oxidation processes. A main focus of her work is the reinterpretation of the jewel – often by removing it, replacing it with the unexpected, or otherwise reincorporating in unique and captivating ways. The work blends precious and nonprecious materials with a feeling of authenticity.

Katie’s work has been shown in numerous juried and invitational exhibitions, most recently at the Mesa Arts Center, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Museum, Wayne Art Center, and Arizona State University. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and is represented by various galleries and shops throughout the country. Her work was recently published in the Lark book Showcase: 500 Rings.