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Noah Street,
NJS Ceramics,
Columbus, OH
Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NJSCeramics
Email: street.noah@gmail.com
Artist Statement: Growing up in a house on the river, there were always plenty of things to explore and discover. This initiated a lifelong fascination with the natural world. After graduating from Butera School of Art in Boston, Noah worked as a commercial Artist for almost 20 years.
Finally returning to his roots of fine art and ceramics after decades of successful design work was like seeing a long lost tree after 30 years and quietly knowing the stories it could tell. The turning point was before the pandemic, but that quickly accelerated it. With a keen eye for design and intuitive sense of harmony and color, every piece is from an experience in my life telling a story, like riding to work in a friend's 1956 Porsche, or a tree stump that once held a swing so high a little boy thought he could fly.
Studio Description: Home Studio in basement, with everything I need for small batch artisan pottery.
What type of clay do you use? Kentucky Mudworks - Speckled Turtle, Brown Bear and some Laguna porcelain
What temperature do you fire to? Bisque cone 04, glaze cone 5-6.
What is your primary forming method? Slab then heavily altered and often distressed.
What is your favorite surface treatment? None. I suspect someday I will experiment more with surface treatments.
Do you make any of your own tools? Yes almost daily, if I cannot find the exact one I need. I have made my own metal foot carving tool, and different distress tools.
What one word would you use to describe your work? Asymmetrical.
What is your favorite thing about your studio? Its a very happy place with good energy.
What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without? Xiem needle and scoring tool. I dont know how I made pottery without it.
What are your top three studio wishes? 3.) Bigger kiln and a garage to put it in. 2.) Bailey System 3 electric extruder. 1.) Hepa air scrubber.
What’s on your current reading list? The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne.
How do you save money on materials and supplies? I am always looking and comparing prices, glaze, clay, tools etc.
How do you recharge creatively? Meditate!!
Do you have any DIY tips for studio efficiency? Always put things back in the same place. Trust me.
What challenges have you given yourself to overcome? Fear is the biggest challenge, suppressing that little voice that says youre not good enough or that people might laugh.
What did you first piece look like? Amazing, I was thrilled and surprised a little.
What ceramic superpower would you have and why? Forming the clay definitely, I can get it to do exactly what I want.
Who is your ceramic art mentor and why? Inayoshi Osamu. I can relate to him very much.
What is your studio playlist? Pandora - Band of Horses, The dodos, Decemberists, Modest Mouse, The Shins.
Why do you create art? I feel that I dont have a choice, it is who I am. I know too much about it to stop. I realize the impact it has on people and realize who needs art.
What is your best studio tip? Just start somewhere, with a pencil and paper, or design and build one.
If you could change one property of clay, what would it be? Nothing, its was created perfectly.
