Every piece is built by hand, thoughtfully designed and pinched, slip cast or wheel thrown in my Maine studio. Each finger impression, brush stroke and etching lends a unique touch to the final object and carries the story of its creation.
What advice would you offer to other artists looking to grow their business?
Just go for it. I opened my first Etsy shop without a clear vision of where it was going and figured it out as I went. I thought, how do I make money doing art? If you really want to, you find a way. My business grew from a garage workbench to my parents' basement to art markets where my sister and I shared a tent to make it feel a little less daunting. Each step built the next one. Be flexible, be confident, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Talk to as many makers and business owners as you can, especially people you look up to or who are doing what you want to be doing. Take everything with a grain of salt and know that there is no single right approach. Every business has a different goal, audience, and path. Show up consistently, give it everything you have, and trust that the path will reveal itself.
What can you share about your creative process?
I have always loved working with my hands, and clay won me over because of its organic nature. It can be precise in form and the complete opposite. It can be unpredictable at the same time, and that tension is half the fun. My process usually starts not at a sketchbook but out in the world. I notice objects, shapes, and colors around me and start wondering how I can translate them into something made from clay in a way that feels poetic. Then I get my hands into the material and let things unfold from there. They say creativity is a muscle you have to warm up, and I absolutely believe that. From there, I build everything by hand through pinching, coiling, or cutting slabs of porcelain. I make all of my own slips and glazes and move between techniques like Mishima inlay, linework with wax resist, colored slips, and glazes to create surfaces that respond to each form. Problem solving is woven into every step, and honestly, that is one of my favorite parts.
What inspires you?
The quiet beauty of everyday life. Textures, colors, and forms that catch my attention in the natural world around me. Living on the coast of Maine, surrounded by woods and close to the ocean, feeds that constantly. I also find a deep connection between ceramics and other things I love, like cooking, and gardening. They're all tactile, grounding, made with your hands. I'm inspired by the idea that objects can hold meaning, that a mug or a planter can become part of someone's daily ritual and carry real emotional weight.
Tell us a little about the journey that led you to where you are now.
I've always been drawn to fine arts and crafts, but ceramics stole my heart. As I was trying to find my way in school, it was the clay studio I found myself at home. After earning my BFA at the University of Colorado Boulder, I was accepted into a residency at the Mendocino Art Center in California, which was the first time I ever sold my work. I launched my Etsy shop, started selling at markets in Boston, and just kept building, moving through Colorado, California, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, always finding a kiln wherever I landed. Now I'm settled in Eliot, Maine, working from my home studio in the woods.
