Not For Sale
Stoneware
2.75 x 6 x 4
2025
Rachael DePauw is a ceramic artist based in New Orleans, where the city’s distinctive architecture and layered history deeply inform her creative practice. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University and graduated from Newcomb College in 2007. It was during her time at Tulane that she discovered her passion for clay—a medium that offered both structure and spontaneity—and began building a career grounded in place, tradition, and craftsmanship.
Working from her home studio, Rachael creates a wide range of ceramic work, including custom address tiles, functional dinnerware, ceramic earrings, and decorative pieces. For over a decade, her work centered on the sgraffito technique, carving through layers of black slip to reveal intricate designs inspired by Southern flora, fauna, and historic architectural detail. This approach was heavily influenced by the legacy of Newcomb Pottery and its celebration of women in the arts.
For the first ten years of her career, Rachael taught ceramics at Isidore Newman School while simultaneously building her studio practice. In 2022, she developed her Chromatic Series during a session at the Penland School of Craft—an expressive body of work exploring vibrant color, layered texture, and sculptural form.
She now runs her business alongside her husband, William, who is also a ceramic artist and educator. Their three young daughters often help in the studio, where Rachael leads by example—modeling how creativity and entrepreneurship can grow side by side. She also mentors emerging artists through studio assistantships, offering guidance and hands-on experience.
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