Dorea Arguelles - Potter/ceramics

Born and raised in Biloxi, Mississippi, Dorea Ross Arguelles has carried her Southern roots with her across the country and back again.  She’s lived in Mobile, Alabama; Pensacola, Florida; New Jersey; and Minnesota - each place adding new textures to her artistic journey.  In 2022, Dorea returned home to Biloxi, where she continues to flourish creatively. 

Dorea’s art is defined by her distinctive fusion of pottery and pine needle weaving, a unique combination that transforms traditional forms into tactile, organic works of art.  Her creative passion also extends to painting and mixed media, making her body of work as diverse as it is expressive. 

Her journey into fiber arts began in 1981 with a pine needle class in Pensacola.  Years later, in 2007 she discovered pottery through classes in New Jersey.  In 2015 while residing in Minnesota, that spark grew into a full flame when she earned her Associate in Arts degree with focus in pottery.  By 2017, she began combining pine needle weaving with pottery, giving birth to her signature style.  

Her innovative work has garnered recognition, including awards in Eagan, Minnesota in 2018 and 2019.  Most recently in 2024, she received the prestigious Peter Anderson Memorial Potters Award.

Now back to her roots and residing in Biloxi, Dorea continues to create from the heart, honoring nature, heritage, and craftsmanship with every piece she makes.