GouldSPOTLIGHT: Martha Grover
Name: Martha Grover
High School: Telstar High School
College/Grad School: Bennington College – BA Architecture, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – MFA Ceramics
What are your roles at Gould? Ceramics Teacher
Proudest Achievement: Being featured on the cover of Ceramics Monthly magazine
Last book I read: The Book of Lost Things by Steven Crossley
My soundtrack is: Audiobooks while working alone in my studio and 60s/70s oldies music in the Gould Ceramics Studio. I like to listen to “fluff” audio books while making pots — cozy murder mysteries and young adult books. Nothing so challenging that I will miss important details if I tune out to focus on what my hands are making.
Movie I would recommend: Roman Holiday or To Catch a Thief. I love old movies, especially those with costumes by Edith Head and all of her beautiful gowns.
Favorite food: All of them—My husband says that I wake up in the morning asking, “What’s for dinner?” I love to eat all kinds of food.
Timelapse from Martha’s wildly popular Instagram account.
One word that describes me: Dedicated
Best advice I ever received: One of my professors told me to always have enough pots at the ready so that I could fill a solo show tomorrow. Being that prepared has paid off on multiple occasions.
Why Gould?
My husband and I moved to Bethel two years ago to be closer to my aging parents and open a pottery studio here. Shortly after moving back, I received a call that Gould was looking for a ceramics teacher. I had never taught high school before, only college and adults, but it has proved to be a wonderful fit for me. Gould is such a special place to have so many different artistic opportunities for students. I really enjoy sharing my passion for clay and have been amazed at the talent and thoughtfulness of the students.
Emptying the wood kiln last spring with the Alternate Firing Methods class.
What’s the last thing you crossed off your bucket list? Visiting Machu Picchu last year.
What are your interests/hobbies?
I love what I do and do what I love, so most of my time is taken up with making pots, talking pots, looking at pots, and teaching pottery; but on those rare occasions that I’m not in the studio, I love flowers and enjoy being in the garden on my parents’ farm. I also enjoy traveling. I’ve been to 46 states and will cross off Alaska this fall. I have also been to 23 countries outside the US including Japan, Singapore, Thailand, China, Peru, Sweden, Belize, and Italy to name a few.
What animal do you most identify with?
Hmm…I don’t know that I have an animal that I identify with most but when I was little my mom used to call me a “tame crow” because I liked shiny objects so much.
Martha and Maggie hanging out in her home studio.
