FOCUS Exhibition: Forrest Lesch-Middelton and Beth Schaible

Forrest and Beth’s work is grounded in geography, culture, and community. Beth’s quiet force draws from her time in Appalachia’s gentle, ancient mountains and Northern California’s rugged, windswept coastline. The patterns on Forrest’s ceramics reference the expansive histories of cultures impacted by US interventionism. Together, they run Petaluma Pottery, a community studio strengthening connections between local craftspeople and creating space for collaboration and the exchange of ideas. Beth and Forrest met at the Penland School of Craft, and their partnership is rooted in material and making. Their individual and collaborative work features patterned image transfers and sgraffito drawings inextricably linked to place. Exhibit ends: August 29, 2026 (Programming)