About BBCC Pottery | Fresno Ceramic Artists

Discover BBCC Pottery, the Fresno, California studio of artists Bibi Bielat and Cathy Caracciolo, dedicated to handcrafted ceramics and creativity.

Bibi Bielat & Cathy Caracciolo

BBCC Pottery is where the two of us, Bibi Bielat and Cathy Caracciolo, spend most of our time these days. We started messing around with clay during the pandemic, and what began as a hobby quickly became a life passion. Our old leather bag studio slowly turned into a pottery space, with wheels, shelves of work in progress, and a floor that never quite stays clean.

Bibi gravitates toward the wheel. She’s especially hooked on making ceramic lamps, probably because she’s always been obsessed with lighting. (Back in the day she even built all the lamps and fixtures for her old art studio downtown.) Now she gets to combine that love of light with clay, shaping pieces that feel useful but also create a mood when switched on..

Cathy works differently—more hand-building than wheel-throwing. She likes things a little looser, a little more sculptural. Her favorite projects are the raku octopus sculptures she’s become known for. Raku firing is wild and unpredictable, and that’s exactly what she enjoys. No two pieces ever come out the same, which feels like the whole point.

Ceramic artists Fresno California
A person wearing sunglasses and gloves is tending to a fire in a metal bucket on a concrete patio, with three other similar buckets nearby. The person is wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Backyard raku firing.
Ceramic artists Fresno California Pottery Fresno local artists
Group of nine smiling people in outdoor setting, some wearing glasses and beanies, gathered around a brick oven with a fire inside, with a brown dog in the foreground. Anagama firing at East Creek Arts in Wilamina Oregon
French Bulldog puppy with large ears looking at the camera in a woodworking shop with pottery wheels and tools in the background.

Zoey - the studio puppy

No introduction to BBCC Pottery would be complete without Zoey, the French Bulldog who rules the studio. Mischievous and endlessly charming, Zoey has a habit of sneaking clay licks and shredding any sponge left within reach. But when she’s not causing chaos, she’s usually basking in the sun or chasing after her beloved, very deflated soccer ball. More than a mascot, she’s a reminder that play and joy belong in the creative process just as much as clay and fire.

Explore sculptural ceramics from BBCC Pottery in Fresno—raku-fired octopuses, hand-built forms, and one-of-a-kind artistic creations.

The Shared Vision of BBCC Pottery

Side by side, our styles balance each other out. Bibi’s clean, wheel-thrown forms meet Cathy’s bold, hand-built work. Sometimes we collaborate, sometimes our pieces just share the same table, but the mix makes the studio feel alive and always changing.

Our Philosophy

Form with Presence

We believe handmade work should live at the intersection of art and everyday life. Each form is shaped to balance simplicity with presence, clean lines, quiet curves, and proportions inspired by nature and the rhythm of the hand.

Made to Be Used

Every vessel, lamp, and sculpture is designed with use and tactility in mind. Surfaces invite touch, weight feels grounded in the hand, and each piece is tuned to belong effortlessly in the home.

Fire and Transformation

We honor the elemental process of clay and fire, from wheel-thrown vessels to raku-fired works that capture the unpredictable marks of flame and smoke. Each creation carries its own story of transformation.

Crafted with Intention

All of our pottery is crafted in small batches in our Fresno, California studio with intention, care, and attention to detail. Whether functional ceramics or sculptural art, every piece reflects the integrity of material, process, and design.