Bethany Pelle
Bethany is establishing Kyndred Clay, a community ceramics studio in Newport's East Row historic district. Programming will include classes, apprenticeships, memberships, and workshops that honor diverse cultures and foster intergenerational bonds. Adaptive apprenticeships will create pathways for low-income, neurodivergent, and chronically ill makers to develop professional skills and earn supplemental income, addressing gaps in conventional employment and social safety-net programs.
Bethany Pelle is a Kentucky-based ceramist and social practice artist. She holds an MFA in Ceramics from Tyler School of Art and a BFA from the University of Miami. Trained as a mental health peer support specialist and trauma-sensitive mindfulness facilitator, Pelle brings a care-focused lens to her practice. She has taught at Northern Kentucky University, Pratt Institute, Tyler School of Art, and 92 NY. Her work has been supported by grants from the Kentucky Foundation for Women, Alternate Roots, Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and People's Liberty.