Primary firing temperature Mid range in an electric kiln
Favorite surface treatment Resist techniques with glaze and underglaze
Favorite tools Airpen color dispenser
Studio playlist Audiobooks: Authors Kristin Hannah, Alice Feeney, Lisa Jewell, and Stacy Willingham.
Wishlist Cink Clay Water Recycling System
Studio
Located in Southeastern Wisconsin, my ceramics studio consists of three separate but dedicated spaces within the home. The partially finished basement is where all of the wet clay work takes place, including throwing and trimming pots, casting handles, wet sanding, and glazing the interiors of pots. Every quarterly making cycle begins here: clay is weighed, wedged, thrown, and trimmed. Mug handles are cast from several individual colors of Mason-stained slip and kept in damp boxes until the mug bodies are trimmed and ready for attachment. Once the handles are attached, the same stained slip is used in combination with a custom die-cut stencil to create a texture pattern on the bottoms. Then, the pieces are ready to move upstairs to the second studio space.
On the first level of the house, in what would have been a living room space, is a clean space dedicated to decorating, computer and die-cutting work, photo documentation, social media content creation, packing, and shipping. Drawers, cabinets, and adjustable tables create a space that is both flexible and functional, and visually peaceful for deep focus. This space is where most of the work takes place and has a large window facing the backyard, creating a simple, light-filled room overlooking views of flowers and wildlife.
The kilns are also on the first level, but are kept in the garage, just a short walk from the decorating space. Having the kilns on a separate level from the wet-working space in the basement means several trips up and down the stairs throughout a making cycle, carrying a wareboard of about ten pieces at a time. Once the work has been glaze fired, it makes one final trip to the basement for wet sanding and polishing before coming back up to the clean space to be photographed for online sales and ultimately, packed and shipped out to collectors.
This studio space is new to me, as I moved here a little over a year ago. This is my first time having a ceramics studio in my home, but it is something I have always dreamed of. After seeing other ceramic artists who have shared glimpses of their studio spaces incorporated into their domestic space, I loved how inviting and warm those spaces seemed, and knew I wanted my work and home life to become more integrated. I find myself flowing between tasks—from clay to cooking, to gardening—in a way that feels harmonious and joyful.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
In 2009, I received a BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. From 2015 to 2023, I had a small studio at Eye of the Dog Art Center in San Marcos, Texas. It was there that I had the community support and studio space to develop my voice as an artist and establish a regular artistic practice. Typically, I average between 50–60 hours per week in the studio as I work toward quarterly restocks on my website. This allows me to focus on each stage for a longer period of time and find a more efficient workflow. I begin each making cycle with two to three weeks of throwing and trimming, followed by one to two weeks of adding handles and refining. Then, I will spend five to six weeks glazing both the exterior and interiors of each pot, kiln firing, and wet sanding/polishing. Finally, one to two weeks are dedicated to photo documentation, preparing email newsletters, creating website listings, packing, and shipping.
Marketing
In the earlier stages of selling my work and building an audience, I made connections through the local art community in central Texas via in-person shows and markets. By slowly building a social media presence on Instagram and applying to national juried gallery exhibitions, I developed recognition as an artist. A couple of years prior to the pandemic, I had hosted a few restocks on my website and started collecting an email list. Since the pandemic, I have sold my pottery primarily on my website with four restocks per year, and I also send a dozen or so pieces to a handful of galleries through invitational group exhibitions.
This current marketing strategy requires consistent maintenance of a social media presence by posting reels and images of both finished and in-progress work on Instagram. For building an audience, behind-the-scenes, process-related videos that show the magic moments (that only I see as the maker) seem to be the most well-received. By focusing on a few key steps of the process and sharing a couple of short clips of finished work at the end of the video, I am able to tell a story of how a pot comes full circle from start to finish.
The goal is to post quality content to Instagram once a week, which sometimes comes naturally and other times can feel like a bit of a distraction from studio time. Reaching one’s audience on social media often waxes and wanes, and I have found that email collection has been vital for directly reaching collectors regardless of the outcome of a post or reel. I continually encourage those who are interested in my pottery to sign up for my email marketing newsletters to stay directly informed. My newsletters are sent out a couple of days prior to each quarterly website restock and include a preview, details about each piece, prices, and shopping tips for a smooth checkout.
Mind
Since my work is so deeply inspired by the natural world, my greatest inspiration comes from spending time outdoors—hiking, gardening, or visiting local plant nurseries. Seasonal shifts provide an endless array of color inspiration, with flora and fauna in different stages of their life cycles. I keep a digital folder containing images and a written list of ideas for new surface designs. When I want to create something entirely new, this folder serves as a quick reference and starting point. The creative process is not linear but rather an organic one that ebbs and flows; I often have a handful of new projects in development at any given time. I also like to rework past designs, finding subtle new iterations that both challenge and keep me creatively engaged. The most important lesson I have learned is to consistently show up to the studio each day, start making, and stay open to new possibilities; through process, inspiration and progress will naturally follow.
Outside of the studio, I enjoy spending most of my time gardening. Finding, growing, and studying the various life cycles of different plants is both rejuvenating and inspiring. Nature offers an endless array of colors, forms, textures, and patterns that get the creative gears turning and make me eager to create new ceramic work.
Most Important Lesson
Always be curious and open to new techniques and materials. Take workshops, watch videos online, chat with other artists online and in-person. Through dialog, experimentation, and introspection, you will find yourself more engaged and new discoveries will naturally unfold. And above all else, do not be afraid of failures. I wholeheartedly believe that it is the “error” aspect of “trial and error” when we learn and grow the most.
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Just the Facts
Clay
Porcelaneous stoneware
Primary forming method
Wheel throwing
Primary firing temperature
Mid range in an electric kiln
Favorite surface treatment
Resist techniques with glaze and underglaze
Favorite tools
Airpen color dispenser
Studio playlist
Audiobooks: Authors Kristin Hannah, Alice Feeney, Lisa Jewell, and Stacy Willingham.
Wishlist
Cink Clay Water Recycling System
Studio
Located in Southeastern Wisconsin, my ceramics studio consists of three separate but dedicated spaces within the home. The partially finished basement is where all of the wet clay work takes place, including throwing and trimming pots, casting handles, wet sanding, and glazing the interiors of pots. Every quarterly making cycle begins here: clay is weighed, wedged, thrown, and trimmed. Mug handles are cast from several individual colors of Mason-stained slip and kept in damp boxes until the mug bodies are trimmed and ready for attachment. Once the handles are attached, the same stained slip is used in combination with a custom die-cut stencil to create a texture pattern on the bottoms. Then, the pieces are ready to move upstairs to the second studio space.
On the first level of the house, in what would have been a living room space, is a clean space dedicated to decorating, computer and die-cutting work, photo documentation, social media content creation, packing, and shipping. Drawers, cabinets, and adjustable tables create a space that is both flexible and functional, and visually peaceful for deep focus. This space is where most of the work takes place and has a large window facing the backyard, creating a simple, light-filled room overlooking views of flowers and wildlife.
The kilns are also on the first level, but are kept in the garage, just a short walk from the decorating space. Having the kilns on a separate level from the wet-working space in the basement means several trips up and down the stairs throughout a making cycle, carrying a wareboard of about ten pieces at a time. Once the work has been glaze fired, it makes one final trip to the basement for wet sanding and polishing before coming back up to the clean space to be photographed for online sales and ultimately, packed and shipped out to collectors.
This studio space is new to me, as I moved here a little over a year ago. This is my first time having a ceramics studio in my home, but it is something I have always dreamed of. After seeing other ceramic artists who have shared glimpses of their studio spaces incorporated into their domestic space, I loved how inviting and warm those spaces seemed, and knew I wanted my work and home life to become more integrated. I find myself flowing between tasks—from clay to cooking, to gardening—in a way that feels harmonious and joyful.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
In 2009, I received a BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. From 2015 to 2023, I had a small studio at Eye of the Dog Art Center in San Marcos, Texas. It was there that I had the community support and studio space to develop my voice as an artist and establish a regular artistic practice. Typically, I average between 50–60 hours per week in the studio as I work toward quarterly restocks on my website. This allows me to focus on each stage for a longer period of time and find a more efficient workflow. I begin each making cycle with two to three weeks of throwing and trimming, followed by one to two weeks of adding handles and refining. Then, I will spend five to six weeks glazing both the exterior and interiors of each pot, kiln firing, and wet sanding/polishing. Finally, one to two weeks are dedicated to photo documentation, preparing email newsletters, creating website listings, packing, and shipping.
Marketing
In the earlier stages of selling my work and building an audience, I made connections through the local art community in central Texas via in-person shows and markets. By slowly building a social media presence on Instagram and applying to national juried gallery exhibitions, I developed recognition as an artist. A couple of years prior to the pandemic, I had hosted a few restocks on my website and started collecting an email list. Since the pandemic, I have sold my pottery primarily on my website with four restocks per year, and I also send a dozen or so pieces to a handful of galleries through invitational group exhibitions.
This current marketing strategy requires consistent maintenance of a social media presence by posting reels and images of both finished and in-progress work on Instagram. For building an audience, behind-the-scenes, process-related videos that show the magic moments (that only I see as the maker) seem to be the most well-received. By focusing on a few key steps of the process and sharing a couple of short clips of finished work at the end of the video, I am able to tell a story of how a pot comes full circle from start to finish.
The goal is to post quality content to Instagram once a week, which sometimes comes naturally and other times can feel like a bit of a distraction from studio time. Reaching one’s audience on social media often waxes and wanes, and I have found that email collection has been vital for directly reaching collectors regardless of the outcome of a post or reel. I continually encourage those who are interested in my pottery to sign up for my email marketing newsletters to stay directly informed. My newsletters are sent out a couple of days prior to each quarterly website restock and include a preview, details about each piece, prices, and shopping tips for a smooth checkout.
Mind
Since my work is so deeply inspired by the natural world, my greatest inspiration comes from spending time outdoors—hiking, gardening, or visiting local plant nurseries. Seasonal shifts provide an endless array of color inspiration, with flora and fauna in different stages of their life cycles. I keep a digital folder containing images and a written list of ideas for new surface designs. When I want to create something entirely new, this folder serves as a quick reference and starting point. The creative process is not linear but rather an organic one that ebbs and flows; I often have a handful of new projects in development at any given time. I also like to rework past designs, finding subtle new iterations that both challenge and keep me creatively engaged. The most important lesson I have learned is to consistently show up to the studio each day, start making, and stay open to new possibilities; through process, inspiration and progress will naturally follow.
Outside of the studio, I enjoy spending most of my time gardening. Finding, growing, and studying the various life cycles of different plants is both rejuvenating and inspiring. Nature offers an endless array of colors, forms, textures, and patterns that get the creative gears turning and make me eager to create new ceramic work.
Most Important Lesson
Always be curious and open to new techniques and materials. Take workshops, watch videos online, chat with other artists online and in-person. Through dialog, experimentation, and introspection, you will find yourself more engaged and new discoveries will naturally unfold. And above all else, do not be afraid of failures. I wholeheartedly believe that it is the “error” aspect of “trial and error” when we learn and grow the most.
reneelopresticeramics.com
Instagram: @renee_lopresti
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