I design and sculpt animals and figurines from clay, each distinct so that every piece is one-of-a-kind!
I began making cat-shaped vessels as a way to remember my first quirky rescue cat, Kimchi. Like many pet owners who want a way to commemorate their pets, I designed a memory urn in the shape of a cat's silhouette with a focus on painting large, soulful eyes, similar to how Egyptian cats look dignified in the afterlife. I hand-build each jar from clay, and paint the cat's features in the style of watercolors, sending in-progress photos to each customer for approval before the jar is finished.
As a writer by trade and ceramicist at heart, I love to create sculptures that suggest a story and an emotional tone. Many of these hand-built sculptures—animal and human— are some of these expressions through the playful and pliable language of clay. While in particular I enjoy painting ceramic surfaces with underglazes, some of my other work are wheel-thrown functional objects that are meant to be enjoyed as well as displayed. As William Morris once said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful, or useful."
My love for both cats and ceramics shape every piece that I make from clay, from my playful cats dancing tango on wedding cakes to the serene urns of individual cats that I sculpt and paint to showcase their personalities. I created my shop during the pandemic with the intention to bring a little joy and art into the everyday, and in an affordable way. Animals open a window into our lives as another way to see and experience wonder and joy. My artful figurines are a way to connect to other people who appreciate a sense of humor and playfulness as well as a respect and love for all animals.
Unlike many popular sellers who rely on mass production or Print-on-Demand, I sculpt and hand-paint each of my ceramic pieces so that each one is one-of-a-kind. For this reason, each piece will differ slightly from the listing photos, in terms of coloring, and appearance due to firing conditions that are beyond my control. I mix my own underglaze colors that I paint with, so the tones will vary for each piece. Additionally, my ceramics-making is a lengthy, detailed process, involving sculpting the clay, drying, painting, glazing, firing in a kiln, glazing with clear glaze, firing for a second time, and sanding, which is why the processing times run from 2 weeks up to 6 weeks for custom items. Please be patient as the wait times are often beyond my control as I depend on a member studio that has its own schedule of firing ceramics, and sometimes experiences delays or mishaps. In every case, I stay in touch with each customer about any unexpected delays to let you know that your item will arrive later than expected and when it will be shipped.
