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Sumi Shah
Ceramic Artist




Born in India under British rule, this new artist has brought the beauty of Indian culture to America. Raised in the Indian State of Gujarat, Sumitra Shah (Sumi)was trained in the Indian arts of folk dance, textiles and various decorative arts including embroidery,painting and Mehndi applicades. Today, many of the patterns and color combinations in her work are reflections of these ancient Indian decorative arts.

Sumi received her Bachelors Degree in Economics in 1964 and arrived in the US in 1970. She and her husband Suresh worked to provide home and passage for their two daughters and in 1974 the family was united in St. Louis. Sumi retired from Blue Cross/Blue Shield in 1996 and with daughters married and moved away she looked to express her creative background through Ceramics.

At a local Community College, she found the opportunity and training and exposed herself to various ceramic finishing techniques. These finishing techniques intregated a broad knowledge and unique style of finishing for her pieces.

For the past ten years she has refined her techniques in crafting and finishing of her artistic endeavors.She was placed first in the Forest Park Community College Art Exhibition in 2006 and has exhibited at several shows since. Currently her pieces are for sale in Galleries in St. Louis and Milwaukee.

Recently she has developed a series of useful and beautiful sets and serving platters, bowls, sushi sets et. al. These usable pieces of hand crafted clay and unique finishes are oven, microwave and dishwasher safe.