About Barbe Ennis — Barbe Ennis Ceramics

Artist Statement | Biography | Galleries & Exhibitions | Press | CV

Artist Statement: My Practice

I consider clay a gift from Mother Nature. Whether working on a delicate porcelain vase or a sturdy stoneware sculpture, I am mindful of the materials I use and the processes involved in creating my pieces. All my work is hand-built, giving it a very organic look and feel. I often leave most pieces unglazed to expose and honor the raw clay. My goal is to minimize my environmental footprint and to create pieces that are as sustainable as possible.

As an artist, I strive to use my craft to spark conversations about the environment and to encourage others to take action to protect our planet for future generations. Through my work, I seek to capture the fragility of our ecosystems and the urgent need for conservation and preservation. I hope to inspire people to connect with nature and to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

Biography: Styling and Artistry

My life has been focused on art and design and finding the beauty in the world. Based in my Gloucester, Massachusetts studio, I spent the last forty years at the helm of ENNIS, Inc., a bi-coastal agency that specialized in representing talent in prop and wardrobe styling, food styling, makeup and hair artistry, and location and production planning. Over the past 10 years of my career, I discovered clay and the joy of the process of molding a ceramic form. Working with clay has become my happy place as I navigate the newest chapter of my life.

“I love working with clay because it feels natural and organic. You can mold and color it, but you can’t totally control it. The clay has a way of taking you in different directions, and it is wonderful to see where you end up. It’s like a walk in the woods.”

— Barbe Ennis, “The Paris Apartment” 2022

Galleries & Exhibitions

2024 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, “Rocky Neck Now”
2024 Concord Art in Concord MA, "Birds"
2024 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, "Home"
2024 M/N Gallery in Gloucester MA, "Ebb & Flow"
2023 Holiday show @ Cove Gallery
2023 Blochaus in Newburyport, “Santa Fe Collection”
2023 The Cove Gallery @ Rocky Neck, “Inside-Outside-In”
2023 Cape to Cape @ Cotuit Center for the Arts
2023 Savidan Gallery, Las Vegas, “Eclectic Women”
2023 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, “Rocky Neck Now”
2022 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, “Feast”
2022 Savidan Gallery, Las Vegas, “Paris Apartment”
2022 Cove Gallery @ Rocky Neck, “Chance and Circumstance”
2022 1000 Vases, Paris, France
2021 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, “Wildthings”
2021 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, “Stop-Look-2"
2021 1000 Vases, Milan, Italy
2020 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, "Exuberance"
2019 Cultural Center @ Rocky Neck, "Paperworks: Art as Evidence"
2018 Flatrocks Gallery, "Earth Wind Fire"
2018 Flatrocks Gallery, "Wrap It Up 1 & 2"
2017 Flatrocks Gallery, "A Stones Throw"