Heidi McKay Casto lives in Iowa City, Iowa, where she is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa. Casto earned a BFA degree in Ceramics from The Ohio State University, and MA and MFA degrees from The University of Iowa. As Heidi McKay Designs, she creates objects at the nexus of function and sculpture adorned with playful design elements, anthropomorphic animal portraits, and vibrant colors. Casto’s work has been featured in over fifty group exhibitions. She has been a featured artist with ArtAxis.org, was selected for two purchase prizes in the 2022 Strictly Functional Pottery National, and was named a 2022 Ceramics Monthly Magazine Emerging Artist. Casto was recognized as an Emerging Artist at the 2023 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Conference (NCECA).