A thin metal rib and a very worn-down Kemper K23 tool
Studio playlist
NTS Radio, a podcast, or a TV show— depends on what I’m working on!
Wishlist
The perfect satin-matte white glaze
Studio
I am very fortunate to reside with my husband (and fellow ceramicist, Gustavo Barceloni) in an artist live/work apartment in Boston. The second room in our apartment is our studio, which is split between the two of us into two distinct working areas so we can make art at the same time. My favorite feature of the space is the giant, nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. Having spent my fair share of time in basement and garage studios, good natural light has become a vital component of my studio life.
Living and working among art is important to me. The first thing I did upon receiving the keys to our place was paint lavender clouds on the walls of the studio and hang up my collection of prints, paintings, postcards, and knick-knacks. It made the space feel very inviting and set the tone for this space being my haven for creation. Our studio is large enough to comfortably fit multiple shelving units, two work tables, and even has a closet where Gustavo stores his tools/supplies, but small enough that it can be challenging not to spill into each other’s workspace if we’re not totally on our game keeping things tidy. I have two standalone shelving units: the smaller one next to my wheel is where I put freshly thrown wet work, wareboards, and bats, and the larger shelf next to my table is for pots that need attachments or underglaze decoration. A crucial part of my organization system is using watertight plastic tubs to keep my pieces in leather-hard limbo, as my making cycles often span weeks or even months. Once I have a batch fully decorated and ready to go, I carefully transport them to the community studio where I work to fire them.
I make colorful cloud pottery, marrying pastel colors with voluminous wheel-thrown forms. Bold and bright rainbows cascade across almost all of my pieces. When I create, I want to delight you with details and make pieces that are as fun to use as they are to look at. Often my pieces contain protruding puffs, clouds suspended in wire, or textured bumps that create a unique tactile experience.
I start every batch of work by sketching a list of the forms I want to make, often consulting my hand-drawn forms list to remind myself of fun pieces I haven’t made in a while. I then decide what color everything is going to be and weigh out Mason stains to create my desired shades of pastel. When my clay is ready, I throw all of my forms and alter most of them to create my signature cloud puffs after they’ve had a chance to set up. I like to make my work in small batches of 10–15 pieces at a time and work in stages rather than having multiple things going on at once. Throw, alter, trim, add attachments, decorate, then repeat for the next color.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
I graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016 with a BFA in ceramics. After graduating, I completed a year-long work-exchange program with Deb Schwartzkopf in Seattle, Washington, and continued cultivating my voice in clay. I returned to Boston in 2017 invigorated and ready to hustle to piece together a living as an artist. I worked as a studio tech, taught ceramics, and became a production potter for a small business in addition to making my own work in the hours in between.
When the pandemic hit, all of that came to a screeching halt— all except my own work. My husband and I were able to continue making pots in our shared garage studio in Everett, Massachusetts. I was also very lucky to have amassed a following on Instagram of people who liked and supported my work, and I was able to make the transition from multiple gigs to just making pottery for a living.
For five years, I ran my own business as a full-time potter. Though in many ways it was a dream come true, it also took a toll on me. Breaks were few and far between; rarely did I take a day off. I craved a better work/life balance, financial stability, and more freedom to grow creatively, so I started searching for jobs in the field. My only stipulation, which narrowed my search considerably, was that I didn’t want to teach. Fortuitously, a new ceramics studio was about to open nearby, and armed with my skill set as a potter and small business owner, I became the studio manager at JP Clay in early January 2025. I still make work to sell as part of my income, but I am now less beholden to the ebbs and flows of in-person markets and online marketing. It has allowed my studio practice to flourish and become even more of a place of play and exploration.
Marketing
Instagram, for better or worse, has been a powerful tool for getting my work out in the world. I use it to share what I’m working on and connect with people I wouldn’t normally get the chance to meet. When I’ve completed a batch of work, I typically promote and announce my “shop drops” there first and then send out an email blast, which funnels traffic to my website. Online purchases account for nearly all of my sales, but I do occasionally sell at in-person markets in my area to meet local collectors. I am very particular about how my work is presented/photographed, and over the years I’ve developed an eye for staging photos in a way I like. Luckily, I really enjoy the process of staging and photographing everything. Good lighting and a decent camera are key! The Canon DSLR I purchased when I was 17 years old is still going strong; I use it for all my product photography.
Most Important Lesson
I’ve always had trouble disconnecting from work, whether it be in my studio or managerial responsibilities. To my own detriment, I have an itch to get things done that has historically won out over my need to rest and recharge. I listened to a podcast some years ago, and one particular phrase has always stuck with me: “The work is not done, but it is time to stop.” I immediately wrote it down and hung it in my studio as a reminder to make a deliberate and conscious effort to set better boundaries.
These days, the most important thing I do on my days off is put away my laptop and phone. The temptation to just check one thing vanishes, and I’m able to more freely take time for myself to do other things—like snuggling with my cats at home or riding on the nearby bike path on my lavender bicycle.
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Just the Facts
Clay
Mid-range porcelain
Primary forming method
Wheel thrown and altered
Primary firing temperature
Cone-5 oxidation
Favorite surface treatment
Sgraffito
Favorite tools
A thin metal rib and a very worn-down Kemper K23 tool
Studio playlist
NTS Radio, a podcast, or a TV show— depends on what I’m working on!
Wishlist
The perfect satin-matte white glaze
Studio
I am very fortunate to reside with my husband (and fellow ceramicist, Gustavo Barceloni) in an artist live/work apartment in Boston. The second room in our apartment is our studio, which is split between the two of us into two distinct working areas so we can make art at the same time. My favorite feature of the space is the giant, nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. Having spent my fair share of time in basement and garage studios, good natural light has become a vital component of my studio life.
Living and working among art is important to me. The first thing I did upon receiving the keys to our place was paint lavender clouds on the walls of the studio and hang up my collection of prints, paintings, postcards, and knick-knacks. It made the space feel very inviting and set the tone for this space being my haven for creation. Our studio is large enough to comfortably fit multiple shelving units, two work tables, and even has a closet where Gustavo stores his tools/supplies, but small enough that it can be challenging not to spill into each other’s workspace if we’re not totally on our game keeping things tidy. I have two standalone shelving units: the smaller one next to my wheel is where I put freshly thrown wet work, wareboards, and bats, and the larger shelf next to my table is for pots that need attachments or underglaze decoration. A crucial part of my organization system is using watertight plastic tubs to keep my pieces in leather-hard limbo, as my making cycles often span weeks or even months. Once I have a batch fully decorated and ready to go, I carefully transport them to the community studio where I work to fire them.
I make colorful cloud pottery, marrying pastel colors with voluminous wheel-thrown forms. Bold and bright rainbows cascade across almost all of my pieces. When I create, I want to delight you with details and make pieces that are as fun to use as they are to look at. Often my pieces contain protruding puffs, clouds suspended in wire, or textured bumps that create a unique tactile experience.
I start every batch of work by sketching a list of the forms I want to make, often consulting my hand-drawn forms list to remind myself of fun pieces I haven’t made in a while. I then decide what color everything is going to be and weigh out Mason stains to create my desired shades of pastel. When my clay is ready, I throw all of my forms and alter most of them to create my signature cloud puffs after they’ve had a chance to set up. I like to make my work in small batches of 10–15 pieces at a time and work in stages rather than having multiple things going on at once. Throw, alter, trim, add attachments, decorate, then repeat for the next color.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
I graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016 with a BFA in ceramics. After graduating, I completed a year-long work-exchange program with Deb Schwartzkopf in Seattle, Washington, and continued cultivating my voice in clay. I returned to Boston in 2017 invigorated and ready to hustle to piece together a living as an artist. I worked as a studio tech, taught ceramics, and became a production potter for a small business in addition to making my own work in the hours in between.
When the pandemic hit, all of that came to a screeching halt— all except my own work. My husband and I were able to continue making pots in our shared garage studio in Everett, Massachusetts. I was also very lucky to have amassed a following on Instagram of people who liked and supported my work, and I was able to make the transition from multiple gigs to just making pottery for a living.
For five years, I ran my own business as a full-time potter. Though in many ways it was a dream come true, it also took a toll on me. Breaks were few and far between; rarely did I take a day off. I craved a better work/life balance, financial stability, and more freedom to grow creatively, so I started searching for jobs in the field. My only stipulation, which narrowed my search considerably, was that I didn’t want to teach. Fortuitously, a new ceramics studio was about to open nearby, and armed with my skill set as a potter and small business owner, I became the studio manager at JP Clay in early January 2025. I still make work to sell as part of my income, but I am now less beholden to the ebbs and flows of in-person markets and online marketing. It has allowed my studio practice to flourish and become even more of a place of play and exploration.
Marketing
Instagram, for better or worse, has been a powerful tool for getting my work out in the world. I use it to share what I’m working on and connect with people I wouldn’t normally get the chance to meet. When I’ve completed a batch of work, I typically promote and announce my “shop drops” there first and then send out an email blast, which funnels traffic to my website. Online purchases account for nearly all of my sales, but I do occasionally sell at in-person markets in my area to meet local collectors. I am very particular about how my work is presented/photographed, and over the years I’ve developed an eye for staging photos in a way I like. Luckily, I really enjoy the process of staging and photographing everything. Good lighting and a decent camera are key! The Canon DSLR I purchased when I was 17 years old is still going strong; I use it for all my product photography.
Most Important Lesson
I’ve always had trouble disconnecting from work, whether it be in my studio or managerial responsibilities. To my own detriment, I have an itch to get things done that has historically won out over my need to rest and recharge. I listened to a podcast some years ago, and one particular phrase has always stuck with me: “The work is not done, but it is time to stop.” I immediately wrote it down and hung it in my studio as a reminder to make a deliberate and conscious effort to set better boundaries.
These days, the most important thing I do on my days off is put away my laptop and phone. The temptation to just check one thing vanishes, and I’m able to more freely take time for myself to do other things—like snuggling with my cats at home or riding on the nearby bike path on my lavender bicycle.
vanessamnorris.art
Instagram: @vanessamnorris
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