Not for Sale.
Stoneware, underglaze, and clear glaze; Hand-built and sculpted with carved relief, underglaze painting, and multiple glaze firings (cone 6)
3 1/2” H × 5” D
2025
Dave Hess is a Louisiana-based ceramic artist whose work reflects both the culture of the South and the landscapes beyond it. With an educational background in design engineering, he began his creative life working in precision drafting and 3D modeling before turning to clay as a medium that allowed for both structure and storytelling. That foundation in design continues to shape his pottery through careful attention to balance, proportion, and form.
Dave is best known for his Sugardome series — handmade, hand-painted sugar bowls inspired by the iconic New Orleans Superdome. Each piece is individually crafted, finished with layered glazes, and serial numbered, making them both functional objects and cultural keepsakes. The Sugardomes have become a signature body of work, tying his artistry directly to the heart of New Orleans and its enduring architectural symbols.
At the same time, Dave’s creative reach extends far beyond local landmarks. His piece Dawn at Cathedral Rock — a wheel-thrown cup inspired by the red rock landscapes of Sedona, Arizona — reflects his ability to translate the essence of place into clay, even when it is a place he has never visited. Through layered glazes and surface treatments, he captures not only the visual colors of stone and sky but also the emotional resonance of landscape as memory and imagination.
Living and working in New Orleans, Dave finds inspiration in both the resilience of Southern culture and the broader natural world. His work embodies the belief that pottery can be more than functional ware — it can serve as a bridge between place and story, allowing people to hold a piece of culture, history, or landscape in their hands.
