tashamckelvey

Business Story
I started my pottery business during my senior year of college in 2000. My professional work went through several incarnations: from utilitarian kitchenware to sculptural ceramic boxes geared towards gallery settings. I opened an Etsy shop in early 2006. Soon after, selling online instead of primarily at Art & Craft Shows reshaped the type of ceramic work I was creating. I started working on smaller, easier-to-ship pottery. It wasn't long before I was making porcelain jewelry and my signature line of small-scale bird pottery. My current work is easier to market to wholesale customers, as well as online shoppers. My work is now sold across the globe.

Artist Statement
My clay work is intended to be useful - this is art that is meant to be touched. In the past everything we used in the home was made by hand. Today our homes are filled with stuff stamped out by machines. When we seek out handmade art we make our surroundings a little more human.

I throw on the potter's wheel or use slabs of clay to hand-build my clay forms - then I add that little something extra. Right now I am making lots of pottery inspired by the gardens & forests of my childhood. I also have a complimentary line of handmade ceramic jewelry and Holiday ornaments.

Why I’m an Artist
I’ve always been a maker. From a very young age I knew I wanted to be an artist. Drawing, painting, crafts & creative play were second nature for me - unlike most early school work due to my dyslexia. I was blessed with family and teachers who actively encouraged me to focus on my strengths, even while I struggled in other areas. My difficulty in school was great training for being a professional artist. Being an artist is labor of love that can be filled with challenges, yet the good definitely makes up for the bad. You just can’t give up.

Eco-Conscious Business
I believe in making sustainable choices for my business and my life. I’m always striving to decrease my business’s environmental impact - from moving my studio to my house and buying from local suppliers to cut down on fuel usage to hand recycling my clay. My gift packaging and shipping materials are made from recycled or re-purposed materials. Whenever possible I purchase re-purposed, recycled and/or recyclable supplies for my studio and office. My business is committed to continuing the promotion of handmade & sustainable business practices.