This week I interviewed @laceyekristinpottery

1. Tell me a little about yourself:

“I currently live in Denver, Colorado with my husband, 2 Great Danes, and 3 ducks.  I have been working in clay for about 20 years now.  I received my degree in Art Education and Ceramics at Metropolitan State University of Denver. While in college my ceramics professor told me I was a “shitty artist, who makes shitty artwork and need to quit.” Those words have always haunted me and still fuel some of my anxiety about my success as an artist. (Shortly after telling me that she was fired. Karma is a bitch) After college, I had a string of random jobs in Georgia until I moved back to Denver to be a high school ceramics teacher. I taught for 8 years. I spent most of my time cussing out students and loving every minute of it.  I’m 5’3 and 90% of my students were taller than me, so when they would cuss me out thinking I would be scared of them I would just turn around and do the same to them. Somehow I was always rated distinguished in my performance reviews. Last year I left teaching to become a full-time potter and I honestly haven’t looked back.  Owning a small business and being an artist is an insane amount of work and moxie, but having freedom with my work is satisfying.  Being a full-time potter is a very satisfying fuck off to all the people who told me I would fail (and there were plenty).

2. What is the most popular item you sell and why do you think it’s so popular?

“The most popular item I sell is wine glasses; with shot glasses coming in at a solid second place.  Who the hell doesn’t love to drink out of a fancy handmade cup?  I have numerous collections going on right now such as the Fuck Off collection (my personal fav), the Birds on a Wire collection, and a more Minimalist/Scandinavian collection.

I work with different collections to keep things interesting for me.  I get bored quickly so being able to switch it up keeps me fresh.

My most popular collections are the “Fuck off” and the “Minimalist/Scandinavian”  Turns out people enjoy swear words, or just speckled clay with an opal glaze, and sometimes a mix of both.”

3. How did you come up with your brand name?

“Lacye Kristin Pottery is a play on my name. My initials are LKP, and the initials for my business name are also LKP. I tried coming up with a hip business name, but everything I came up with was lame.  I figured most artists are known by their name so I should just follow the trend. The hardest part is when people try to follow me on social media they can never spell my name correctly. It’s “Lacye” not “Lacey””

4. How long does it take to make an item and where do you find inspiration?

“It depends on the piece. On average start to finish each piece takes about 15-20 hours to complete.  This includes sketching the product, making the product on the potters wheel, dry time (if you put wet clay in a kiln it will explode), firing time, glazing, and then firing again.  This does not include photographing artwork. Ceramics is a slow and finicky process.  If you rush it you make stupid mistakes, and I have learned from many of my stupid mistakes. I pull inspiration from my life.  I enjoy the juxtaposition between a drawing of a delicate flower next to some swear words, especially if it’s a phrase I’ve been called before. I’m also a minimalist at heart and believe there is something beautiful about showcasing the raw color of the clay thus allowing the form to be the focus on the artwork. “

5. Do you have any exciting news or events that you would like to share?

“I am hoping to have my website store up and running before the new year. I currently will not accept commissions until February 2021. But, you can always say “Hi” or buy my “shitty art” on Instagram/Facebook under the handle @lacyekristinpottery.”

If you like to learn more about Lacye’s art the following contact information is below:

Instagram: @lacyekristinpottery

Facebook: @lacyekristinpottery

Thank you so much for the interview!

Until next time!!!