Artist Overview

Sommer Coen is a North Georgia-born artist who has the determination to make an indelible mark on her community through memories centered around clay. Through her work, Coen strives to preserve and share the old ways of Appalachia that have nearly been forgotten in this digital age.  
Coen’s journey in pottery started over ten years ago when she attended an after-school arts program in her hometown, Cumming, GA. In college, she pursued ceramics as a hobby and soon realized it is her passion and calling. Coen obtained her Bachelor of Arts in studio art from the University of North Georgia Dahlonega in 2018. During her undergrad, she interned at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, CO as well as volunteered with the Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center in Mountain City, GA. After graduating Coen worked in Gatlinburg, TN as a production potter and lead pottery instructor at Fowler’s Clay Works.
Coen’s focus on ceramics and traditional weaving led her to have a deep admiration for the Indigenous Peoples and the Appalachian pioneers who adapted to these harsh mountains. While Coen believes in the preservation of the past, she’s also passionate about changing the negative narrative surrounding Appalachia and its people. By educating through the arts she hopes to preserve the pockets of culture and diversity found in and around Appalachia.