Spotlight: A New Flow Brit McDaniel

Appears in the May 2025 issue of Ceramics Monthly.

Ceramics Monthly: Can you speak a bit about the creative timeline for Paper & Clay and how you decided to transition out of your owner/operator role? 

Brit McDaniel: When I started Paper & Clay (P&C) in 2013, I had one simple goal: to support myself by making pottery. I was incredibly fortunate to receive some early recognition, and as a result, demand for my work grew. I began to scale and bring on employees to help—my brain sort of toggled onto business mode as I rode the momentum, and that switch became difficult to disengage. 

In those first couple of years, when I was still working alone in the studio, I could spend a day engrossed in a bizarre idea or technique without the (albeit privileged) stress of backorders or my team to consider. Only in looking back did I realize how important those “unproductive” days were to my practice and to my overall well-being. As time went on I found myself with a lot less time and energy for that vital experimentation. My curiosity was still there, but I tamped it down because what I was doing was working. 

We (remarkably) continued to grow through the most extreme waves of the COVID-19 pandemic as folks were stuck at home, but soon, the massive increases in material costs, shipping, and more were seriously derailing my business structure. Some costs increased by 30%. Foot traffic dropped, but rent continued to increase. The cost of living was rising, and my employees needed more to compensate. Everything began to feel like a crisis. I felt like I was failing if I didn’t spend every possible moment being productive. This drained me, so I became less productive. Instead of having the awareness to take a break, I pushed harder. Soon I was experiencing extreme burnout. 

I realized that my studio had become bigger than I had ever intended, and my love of the work was being overshadowed by the stress of taking care of my wonderful team and trying to wring out a salary for myself, all without compromising my work. When my production manager needed to relocate, the universe seemed to grant me permission to step back. After careful consideration, I made the decision to hand P&C over to a neighboring pottery studio. 

CM: How are you embracing your post-Paper & Clay life? What are you most looking forward to next? 

BM: In 2023, I moved to a rural area in the gorgeous Arkansas Ozarks. The slowdown and transition have not been easy. Untangling the complex labyrinth of intrusive, unhealthy, and outright harmful thoughts brought on and deeply trod into my brain by that monster Burnout has been the most difficult obstacle. But bit by bit, it’s getting better. 

I’ve been focused on personal growth, and improvement (both creative and technical) in my work. The space I’ve carved out for myself has led me to new paths of awareness and expression, anchored in the experience of living in such a beautiful and grounding place. I plan to continue my studio work, making work inspired by my connection to this new home, and teaching. I’m letting go a little and allowing life to flow, taking what’s meant for me, and letting the rest float on. Less hustle, more curiosity, and more intentional living. 

Photo: Jason Brandon. 
Instagram: @britmcdaniel 
www.britmcdaniel.com