Brendan Schamu

Originally from Southern Maryland with familial roots in Japan, Brendan came to North Carolina to get his studio art degree from Davidson College. He then worked in inventory management for over a decade across multiple fields, ranging from paintings to historical archives to mineral specimens. Brendan stepped back into the art world in 2025, and is excited to continuously learn and see how his work evolves.

He is grateful to be part of the Clayworks community, where he can assist with studio operations while learning from the abundance of talented teachers and artists around him, as he believes there will never be a shortage of things to learn. He hopes to create non-functional wares such as whimsical monsters and eccentric sculptures, but for now is focused on honing his wheel throwing skills.

In his free time, Brendan enjoys relaxing with his cats, watching YouTube videos, searching for cool insects in the forest behind his home, and relearning Japanese, his first language.