Osgood, Jeff

Jeff Osgood is a working and teaching ceramic artist celebrated for his distinctive black-and-white pottery rooted in death iconography. His body of work, Clay of the Dead, features gravestones, skulls, crypts, willow trees, and epitaphs—drawing from historic cemeteries and New England folk art traditions.

Collectors are drawn to Jeff's work for a variety of reasons: some are captivated by its ties to cemetery art, history, and symbolism, while others find comfort in the pieces as tangible mementos of deceased loved ones. For many New Englanders, his work evokes a deep sense of home and heritage.

At its core, Jeff's pottery serves as a memento mori—a reminder to live fully and intentionally. Though centered on themes of mortality, he feels that his work is not soley dark but reflective and deeply human. Creating allows Jeff to process personal loss and the act of carving into clay brings him peace, clarity, and a meditative stillness.

Through his artistry, Jeff Osgood invites viewers to consider the beauty found in impermanence, the power of remembrance, and the inspiration that can emerge from even life's most difficult transitions.

Instagram: @clay.of.the.dead