About Us

Forbidden Forest Art is the combined efforts of partner artists, Sarah Nieman and Zak Lane. Sarah and Zak met in a college ceramics class and fell in love with making pottery as they fell in love with each other. Both artists make unique handmade pottery in a variety of styles and forms that merge dark and mysterious with vibrant and whimsical. Zak loves to make skulls that you can drink or eat from as well as illustrating masked figures that represent deeper meanings. Sarah gets her inspiration from nature and fantasy and really enjoys carving abstract patterns, animals, and landscapes into her pieces. These different styles work well with each other by creating a balance of light and dark. They work well to represent our cycle of life from the beautiful abundance of nature and warmth of positivity, to the arduous acceptance of death and the peace and clarity that comes along with it.

Sarah loves animals and everything nature has to offer. With a six year history of being a full time vegetable farmer, she is so passionate about and inspired by plants. Fantasy and all its whimsical magic has played another huge role in her creativity. She loves to use earthy tones and floral colors within her work, while making pieces that look like they could be found inside a witch’s potion cupboard. Some of her favorite things to make are little handbuilt mushrooms, potion bottles, and cups with mountain carvings. And her whimsical ceramic vessels would put a little bit of magic into the lives of anyone who sees them.

Zak has always been attracted to the darker side of things. Growing up in opposition to what some people believe to be “good” or “normal,” really opened him up to creating art as a way of expression. Making art is a very important way to say what you need to say without speaking a word. He mostly worked in drawings or paintings, however when he discovered ceramics it was like a new world of expression opened up to him. Creating sculptures and making utilitarian vessels out of clay, physical objects that would be permanently in this world, was a vastly humbling experience. And combining his personal interests with dark aesthetics and a sense of humor, he creates functional ceramics that seem outwardly off putting but are created to bring inner peace to anyone’s daily rituals. 
 

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Each piece is hand made and one of a kind.

All pottery is microwave and dishwasher safe.