Tom Markgraf Spotlight
Tom Markgraf
Written by Liv Barton, August 2025
In the heart of downtown Newark, you’ll find several bronze statues sprinkled among town. They may be sitting on benches, near buildings, or government buildings. That’s just what you can see with the naked eye. After a little prodding and exploring, you may find yourself at the doorstep of Markgraf Clayworks, Tom and Karen Markgraf’s teaching studio.
Inside awaits the perfect opportunity to cover Newark in sculptures of all kinds. It’s an open and light space, with plenty of natural light coming through. Its third floor placement allows for a perfect view of Newark, but posed a challenge to the Markgrafs when it came time to move seven pottery wheels up there–along with the rest of the materials they needed to store.
Tom Markgraf is no stranger to rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. Prior to focusing on art full-time, he was enveloped in a different type of art–hospitality. This background laid the foundation for the studio that the Markgrafs operate now.
As early as his junior year in high school, Markgraf received a scholarship to go to the Cincinnati Art Academy, taking mainly drawing classes at the beginning. A mentorship with an instructor at the program helped spark even more fire within Markgraf and pushed him to continue his education at the Columbus College of Art and Design. He worked there for a few years before deciding to go off on his own. Until 2008, when the major recession shifted the country.
“I had to kind of reinvent myself,” Markgraf said.
He had always dabbled in sculpting, but a friend who worked with clay had discouraged Markgraf from fully throwing his hat into the ring.
He bought a wheel and began to understand the learning curve that comes with using a wheel. He took it home with him and “just started making things.”
“I’m not the kind of artist who really likes to do things over and over and over again,” Markgraf said. Instead, Markgraf focuses on the wholesale aspect of the work, attending countless art festivals, and teaching. He tries to complete a few sculptures a year, but has started to run out of space to store them.
“My wife and I, everytime we saw a wheel we’d buy it,” Markgraf said.
Around the time of the pandemic, they decided it was the right time to open their clay studio. They found the place they currently occupy and got to work. They had to get all of their equipment up the stairs–and the heavy boxes of clay. Markgraf says he buys clay a thousand pounds at a time. He also says he got really lucky with a fire escape out back. He bought a trolley and welded a cart to lift some things up. The equipment, however, needed to be brought up one by one. The hard work and physical labor done didn’t end with just setting up shop. For classes at Bryn Du, they are responsible for transporting all the materials needed for the class. The wheels and clay, setting everything up, taking everything home that the students made, firing it at home, and then bringing it back to them.
At the end of the day, despite the sweat, Markgraf finds this work to be a mindful practice for him.
“You’re kind of in a state of meditation when you’re doing art,” said Markgraf.
There was just something about the clay that enthralled him. He had spent so much time following a dream that just didn’t call to him. Finally, he’s able to fully embrace his true calling.
“I can’t leave it, I mean, I just can’t leave it,” Markgraf said.