My studio is in Lawrence, Kansas. It’s walking distance from my day job as the director of residencies and adult education at the Lawrence Arts Center. We purchased the property in December 2020. From our first viewing, we knew two things: it would make a fantastic clay studio for me, and that every inch of its 750 square feet (69.7 m2) would need to be taken down to the studs to be rebuilt.
I’ve
been working on these studio renovations since January 2021 with a lot of help from family and friends. Throughout the renovations, I researched green building practices and DIY approaches. When I could, I tried to source recycled or repurposed materials.
I also prioritized minimizing energy usage by maximizing the insulation and efficiency of the windows and doors. All these choices have kept renovation and operating costs low. My studio is currently very workable, though I have more plans for it.
I suspect the space will always be a work in progress because I am a tinkerer.
I lovingly call the space “Split Level Studios” because it’s basically two garages, built at two different levels, oriented 90 degrees from each other. One half faces the street to the west and one half faces south, toward my husband’s
newly planted fruit orchard and beehive.
Each day, I enter my studio from the gallery door facing the busy street. After walking through the gallery, I enter my main work room where I have two wheels. My throwing wheel is at standing height with a stool (in case I want to sit) that has a big
worktable customized to fit alongside it. I have two adjustable-height rolling tables and a trimming station at the other end of my big work table. I pass the work along from the throwing wheel to the trimming wheel.
From my trimming area, I have shelves for the work to dry before it heads down a few steps to the kiln room in the lower space. The lower space also has a bathroom and an in-progress area that currently houses construction, orchard, and beekeeping equipment.
Eventually, I hope to transform this space to include an area for glazing and for a studio assistant/resident.
I love that I have room to grow with the space as it continues to evolve. I have hosted multiple events in my studio, be it a pinch-pot party, a gathering of students at the end of a class, or a holiday sale with fellow artists that is open to the public.
It’s slowly transforming into a place for gatherings, reflection, chance encounters/discoveries, and quiet making, depending on the day. Overall, I feel immensely thankful to have a studio of my own to make work in that also has enough space
for me to easily welcome others into it.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
I’ve worked full time as an arts administrator at the Lawrence Arts Center basically since I received my MFA from Ohio University eleven years ago. My day job provides a steady income, health insurance, and a 401k plan, as well as ongoing opportunities
for professional growth. The Arts Center has been immensely supportive in allowing me time off for short residencies, leading workshops, or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like consulting on an archaeological dig in Greece.
Prior to graduate school, I studied ceramics and earned a BFA at the University of Alaska Anchorage. From there I went on to a post-baccalaureate program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then moved to Kansas City to work with Andy Brayman, and did
several residencies including a year-long residency at Red Lodge Clay Center. Along this meandering path, I worked with countless amazing artists who helped me develop a broad understanding of the ceramic field and refine my notions of what I wanted
my studio practice to be.
I work in the studio on average twenty hours per week, plus or minus twenty. This sounds extreme but it depends on studio deadlines and deadlines at the arts center. Lately, my weekly average in the studio is trending up. Generally, I work in the studio
a few nights a week plus weekends. Juggling all these obligations often feels like a never-ending challenge. This juggling act is balanced by my gratitude for each new opportunity, be it through my studio, my job, or sometimes both.
Marketing
I am fortunate to have an avid following of mostly local friends, family, and collectors who are very supportive whenever I have studio sales and exhibitions. My studio sales and local events currently account for around 75% of my sales, with the remaining
25% coming from galleries. Social media is primarily how I get the word out about my exhibitions and studio sales, followed by signage, local ads, and word of mouth. The main advantage to selling my work primarily to local folks is that I am avoiding
a lot of shipping expenses and logistics. That said, I’m actively working on cultivating a larger audience through national exhibitions, social media, growing my mailing lists, and engaging in local events. Of these, I tend to prefer the studio
sales, events, and local exhibitions because I enjoy getting a chance to meet and connect with people in person. I want to put pots in people’s hands. And one day I hope to have someone helping me with the social and digital aspects of marketing
my work.
Mind
I always want to expand my horizons. This leads me to visit as many museums and galleries as I can and read as much as I can. Given my day job and studio practice, I often use my studio time to listen to audiobooks. I strategically listen to books about
business, leadership, and finance, intermixed with murder mysteries. The business books are a form of self improvement along the lines of, “What would I need to know to get an MBA?” The murder mysteries are like puzzles for me. All of
the business books are shifting how I approach things like saving money, investments, networking, and hosting events.
One of the most impactful professional experiences in ceramics I’ve had was consulting on an archaeological dig of the Minoan Pottery Workshop at Gournia, Crete. Professor John Younger invited me to work with him in the summers of 2014 and 2017
to study the workshop, kilns, and some of the 8000+ pottery shards excavated at Gournia. We visited as many museums, other archaeological sites, and Greek potters as we could. This experience continues to have profound impacts on every aspect of my
studio practice. It leads me to ponder the sense of time embodied in one’s fingerprint left on a pot. I’ve also simplified my studio practice and palette, as I consider my lasting impact as a potter. Whenever I feel stumped about a form
or surface, I tend to dive into my photos from Greece or my garden.
Most Important Lesson
Ceramics is an ideal medium for lifelong learners. Each day in the studio, each firing, and each encounter provide new lessons. I learn from each residency I attend, each class that I teach, and each artist I work with. The questions I am asked, and that
I ask of myself while I’m making, lead to new work. So do failures. The path of a lifelong learner is not easy. It is, however, worth it.
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Studio
My studio is in Lawrence, Kansas. It’s walking distance from my day job as the director of residencies and adult education at the Lawrence Arts Center. We purchased the property in December 2020. From our first viewing, we knew two things: it would make a fantastic clay studio for me, and that every inch of its 750 square feet (69.7 m2) would need to be taken down to the studs to be rebuilt.
I’ve been working on these studio renovations since January 2021 with a lot of help from family and friends. Throughout the renovations, I researched green building practices and DIY approaches. When I could, I tried to source recycled or repurposed materials. I also prioritized minimizing energy usage by maximizing the insulation and efficiency of the windows and doors. All these choices have kept renovation and operating costs low. My studio is currently very workable, though I have more plans for it. I suspect the space will always be a work in progress because I am a tinkerer.
I lovingly call the space “Split Level Studios” because it’s basically two garages, built at two different levels, oriented 90 degrees from each other. One half faces the street to the west and one half faces south, toward my husband’s newly planted fruit orchard and beehive.
Each day, I enter my studio from the gallery door facing the busy street. After walking through the gallery, I enter my main work room where I have two wheels. My throwing wheel is at standing height with a stool (in case I want to sit) that has a big worktable customized to fit alongside it. I have two adjustable-height rolling tables and a trimming station at the other end of my big work table. I pass the work along from the throwing wheel to the trimming wheel.
From my trimming area, I have shelves for the work to dry before it heads down a few steps to the kiln room in the lower space. The lower space also has a bathroom and an in-progress area that currently houses construction, orchard, and beekeeping equipment. Eventually, I hope to transform this space to include an area for glazing and for a studio assistant/resident.
I love that I have room to grow with the space as it continues to evolve. I have hosted multiple events in my studio, be it a pinch-pot party, a gathering of students at the end of a class, or a holiday sale with fellow artists that is open to the public. It’s slowly transforming into a place for gatherings, reflection, chance encounters/discoveries, and quiet making, depending on the day. Overall, I feel immensely thankful to have a studio of my own to make work in that also has enough space for me to easily welcome others into it.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
I’ve worked full time as an arts administrator at the Lawrence Arts Center basically since I received my MFA from Ohio University eleven years ago. My day job provides a steady income, health insurance, and a 401k plan, as well as ongoing opportunities for professional growth. The Arts Center has been immensely supportive in allowing me time off for short residencies, leading workshops, or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like consulting on an archaeological dig in Greece.
Prior to graduate school, I studied ceramics and earned a BFA at the University of Alaska Anchorage. From there I went on to a post-baccalaureate program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then moved to Kansas City to work with Andy Brayman, and did several residencies including a year-long residency at Red Lodge Clay Center. Along this meandering path, I worked with countless amazing artists who helped me develop a broad understanding of the ceramic field and refine my notions of what I wanted my studio practice to be.
I work in the studio on average twenty hours per week, plus or minus twenty. This sounds extreme but it depends on studio deadlines and deadlines at the arts center. Lately, my weekly average in the studio is trending up. Generally, I work in the studio a few nights a week plus weekends. Juggling all these obligations often feels like a never-ending challenge. This juggling act is balanced by my gratitude for each new opportunity, be it through my studio, my job, or sometimes both.
Marketing
I am fortunate to have an avid following of mostly local friends, family, and collectors who are very supportive whenever I have studio sales and exhibitions. My studio sales and local events currently account for around 75% of my sales, with the remaining 25% coming from galleries. Social media is primarily how I get the word out about my exhibitions and studio sales, followed by signage, local ads, and word of mouth. The main advantage to selling my work primarily to local folks is that I am avoiding a lot of shipping expenses and logistics. That said, I’m actively working on cultivating a larger audience through national exhibitions, social media, growing my mailing lists, and engaging in local events. Of these, I tend to prefer the studio sales, events, and local exhibitions because I enjoy getting a chance to meet and connect with people in person. I want to put pots in people’s hands. And one day I hope to have someone helping me with the social and digital aspects of marketing my work.
Mind
I always want to expand my horizons. This leads me to visit as many museums and galleries as I can and read as much as I can. Given my day job and studio practice, I often use my studio time to listen to audiobooks. I strategically listen to books about business, leadership, and finance, intermixed with murder mysteries. The business books are a form of self improvement along the lines of, “What would I need to know to get an MBA?” The murder mysteries are like puzzles for me. All of the business books are shifting how I approach things like saving money, investments, networking, and hosting events.
One of the most impactful professional experiences in ceramics I’ve had was consulting on an archaeological dig of the Minoan Pottery Workshop at Gournia, Crete. Professor John Younger invited me to work with him in the summers of 2014 and 2017 to study the workshop, kilns, and some of the 8000+ pottery shards excavated at Gournia. We visited as many museums, other archaeological sites, and Greek potters as we could. This experience continues to have profound impacts on every aspect of my studio practice. It leads me to ponder the sense of time embodied in one’s fingerprint left on a pot. I’ve also simplified my studio practice and palette, as I consider my lasting impact as a potter. Whenever I feel stumped about a form or surface, I tend to dive into my photos from Greece or my garden.
Most Important Lesson
Ceramics is an ideal medium for lifelong learners. Each day in the studio, each firing, and each encounter provide new lessons. I learn from each residency I attend, each class that I teach, and each artist I work with. The questions I am asked, and that I ask of myself while I’m making, lead to new work. So do failures. The path of a lifelong learner is not easy. It is, however, worth it.
Instagram: @kylastrid
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