New Approach, Same Handmade Quality: Exciting Changes at Wild Bower Studio

Hey, it's me, Nicole, the artist and owner of Wild Bower Studio. I got some exciting news to share with y'all. So, listen up!

As a small biz owner, I always want to give my customers the best shopping experience when it comes to buying my handmade ceramics and art. But, y'all, I gotta be honest with ya. The last shop update wore me out big time. I made some stupid mistakes and was on the verge of a meltdown, and I knew I had to make some changes.

So, I decided to no longer have big shop updates, but instead, announce to our newsletter subscribers when new items hit the shop. This way, our newsletter subscribers will get the first dibs on the new stuff, and I can take my time with each piece. I tend to hold onto pieces and hoard them way longer than I need to, but I can't help it - each piece is like my own little baby.

I know this might be a surprise to some of y'all, but don't worry. We will still offer the same high-quality, handmade ceramics and art. And, of course, I will keep creating new and exciting pieces for y'all to enjoy. We will update our website regularly, and you can also follow us on social media to see what we're up to. You’ll get hint at new items on social media but announcements of them being available will only go to our subcribers.

I'm really excited about this new approach, and I hope y'all are too. I promise to keep communicating with y'all via our newsletter, and I will for sure throw in some exclusive offers too.

Thanks for sticking with us and supporting small businesses like mine. Y'all are the best, and I can't wait to share more of my creations with you soon!

Nicole's Pottery Tools & Equipment

I get asked pretty often what equipment and tools I use in the studio so I thought it would be helpful to make a journal entry with all that information. I’ll continue to edit and add items along the way. Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions about this list.

Equipment:

• Shimpo Wheel VL Lite

• Skutt KM 1027 Kiln

• Skutt KM 1227 Kiln - I bought this used. Check out my PURCHASING A USED KILN - WHAT TO ASK AND LOOK FOR

• Shimpo Slab Roller

• Bailey Extruder

Wheel Throwing Tools:

• Bat system

• Potter’s Throwing Gauge

Handbuilding Tools:

Filming Tools:

Mason Stain Library

I’ve definitely fallen down the rabbit hole into the land of mason stains and over the last few years I’ve collected quite a bit for projects that I hope to get around to. Until then part of my mason stain project was to document their intensity and range. Though these images might not be exactly what the final colors look in real life, I hope that they help you figure out what stains can work for you. Believe it or not, I have many more stains that have yet to be experimented with so I will be adding more over time.

Each sample was created using 100g of Dover white slip from standard to a tsp of mason stain, which was increased each time. Images show this increase from left to right (100g w/ 1 tsp mason stain, increase to 2tsp, increase to 3tsp) bottom left to right (100g w/ 4tsp, increase to 5tsp, increase to 6tsp) - I did not increase the amount of slip.

Turqouise 6364

Bright Blue 6350

6368 Copen

6313 Medium

6310 Wedgewood

6383 COBALT ALUMINATE

6254 Dark Teal Green

6213 Hemlock

6268 Sea Green

6500 Sage

6201 Celadon

6242 Bermuda

6280 Avocado

6113 Claret

6149 Iron Silicate

6190 Deep Brown

6160 Dark Brown

6162 Hazelnut

Cedar (discontinued)

6033 Sunset

6026 Lobster

Member Spotlight Interview: Jes Fisher

Wild Bower Studio catches up with Studio Member, Jes Fisher as she hones her craft, launches her website and pursues her passion.

Could you tell us a bit about you and how you got to the place where you are now? 

I’ve always been a hands-on person. Even as a kid I loved building and assembling anything I could get my hands on. I was known to take any opportunity I got to get muddy. It took me a bit longer to figure out that I should be focusing that energy into creativity. I moved to New York City a few years ago and it has been a very mind opening experience for me. I’d been floating around for the last few years of my life—unsure of what my passions were or the direction I wanted my life to move in. I live in Brooklyn and nanny part-time now. This has given me the schedule and flexibility to branch out, take classes, and try new things. It has been an incredible growing experience for me. 

If I’m being honest, I never really considered the option of pursuing a creative field until very recently. Ceramics wasn’t even on my radar until last year. I did not grow up with a lot of money and I thought if I was going to go to college I needed to choose something responsible and respectable. Jokes on me since I ended up picking psychology. But in all seriousness, I always considered art to be a hobby—a thing you did on the side when you got a break from your real job. I didn't have any artistic or creative people in my life. The last five years I have gone through some big life and mindset changes. I’ve had the opportunity to try new things and surround myself with people who push me to be better and try more. 

How long have you been working in ceramics? What lead you into working with ceramics? Is it the history, material, process, community or something else? Did you take classes or are you self taught? 

I’ve been working with clay for about a year and a half. I took one class back in 2018, but I am mostly self-taught. When I began throwing I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and I was desperate for a way to occupy my mind. The repetition and control required was calming and centering. I was instantly addicted. A few years prior I had been going through intense therapy. For a good portion of my life I have struggled with severe anxiety and OCD. Coincidentally, one of the most effective techniques I was given to cope when I was feeling anxious was to sit down and imagine something spinning. I would focus on and control the speed, slowing down and speeding up, until I felt my heart rate slow and my breath return to a normal pattern. Wheel throwing has a similar quality with a hands-on application. Throwing has given me a physical outlet for the tension I feel inside, but I think the reason I am drawn back to it is because it gives me the opportunity to take parts of myself that I have always looked down on and create something beautiful from them. 

What is your process usually like? Are there any rituals or philosophes that you follow? Do you have a specific shape or end goal in mind when starting a piece, or do you let it form as you work?

Does listening to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on repeat count as a ritual?

I mentioned before that I want all of my work to have intention. I spend a significant chunk of my time weighing each ball of clay, measuring each piece, and working toward making cohesive sets. Very rarely do I sit down with no plan at all. Much of my time is spent thinking through and sketching out ideas so by the time I get to the studio I’m eager to shift those ideas from my mind to my hands. I describe my work as clean and technically proficient because these characteristics are the result of me focusing the unease and tension I feel almost constantly and focusing them all into my hands. As a result, I feel the shapes and finishes in my work are the results of my internal centering being expressed physically.

What is it like to be a New York City-based artist? What makes this community unique? 

If anyone had told me five years ago that I would move to New York and pursue any artistic venture I would have laughed at them. This life is nothing I ever would have imagined for myself and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. When I first got here I felt very out of place and listless. I was accustomed to having a large group of friends and a busy schedule. I had been searching for people who can relate to me. Studios have provided that. Working and learning in shared studios has been so beneficial for me. I have met so many amazing new people and had the opportunity to learn and expand and observe in a way I never would have otherwise. 

New York has provided the space for me to learn, grow, and create as well as a diverse landscape in which I have been able to discover and express myself. I do struggle with how I should “brand” myself as an artist in New York. There is a lot of competition. I have been hesitant to step out and present my work, but I have been learning that honesty and transparency is very important. I am unsure of how I would like to be perceived by the world. I am still learning and growing, and I do not need to be perfect or have it all together at this point. I have been working to give myself the space and flexibility to grow. 

Where do you see your practice moving towards? Are there any new techniques or forms you’d like to try in the future? 

I would like to start throwing larger forms. I am not a big person, so I have had to practice and learn how to hold my body in the correct position to control larger amount for clay. I have been watching and admiring potters who can put multiple large pieces together and make massive forms. A lot of the ideas I have would require me to throw bigger. I still have so much to learn when it comes to throwing and hand building. I am intrigued by color and texture. I want to learn everything there is to learn. I have been reading a lot of firing and glaze mixing. That is probably the next move for me. I would also like to get to the point that I can see my work through from start to finish. I have plans to take a glaze mixing workshop in early January that I am very excited for. I have also experimented quite a bit with alternative firing methods. I’ve experimented with a few rounds of pit firing and would like to get into salt firing and raku. 

On your website you characterize your style as sleek, tactile, functional with clean, sharp edges and a neutral color palette with an emphasis on the technical. How did you develop this style and what draws you to being technical?

I strive for my work to have intention. Personally, I find a lot of value in completing tasks as efficiently, thoroughly, and correctly as I possibly can. If I am going to put my name on something, I want to know that it was the best I had to offer. I have always been a detail-oriented human. I have historically been negative about and embarrassed by having OCD. Ceramics has helped me come into my own and not only accept the condition of my mind but thrive because of it. Throwing has given me a space to focus this energy into a productive practice. I have a tendency to pinpoint flaws or problems and find a way to fix them. I have always been big on puzzles and problem solving. I wouldn’t say I am drawn to being technical, rather it is just my natural state of being. 

Another part of me that has a big effect on why I work the way I do is being a black woman.  Finding my voice and my role is an issue I have been working through. Having melanin in America is difficult for many reasons, but a big contributor to me is that society, both historically and in general, has always pushed the black woman down. At times it has felt easier to be quiet and not make waves, but more recently I’ve been attempting to actively choose a different perspective. In a world that is constantly trying to put me down, I choose to rise above the pressures, expectations, and obstacles instead of avoiding or ignoring them. I have been pushing myself to be the best that I possibly can to be perceived as a hard-working bad bitch that can’t be ignored. 

You recently launched your own online shop. Congrats! How does it feel? What made you decide to start selling your work? 

I ran out of space in my apartment. If I kept bringing home more work my roommates might have evicted me. We were at mug and planter capacity. However, I also started selling my work because I finally felt I was producing pieces that I was comfortable putting my name on and sending out into the world. Stepping out and selling my work has been both exciting and terrifying but I am eager to do more.

Even though your online shop is pretty new, where would you like to see it go? Will you be participating in any markets, working in wholesale, etc?

At this point I am still getting a grasp on what kind of work I want to put out. I have been working toward having a more focused style—finding shapes and finishes I feel embody who I am as an artist. I would like to see my work progress toward mostly one-off pieces or sets. I like the idea of making pieces that will be more unique to the owner and the space they inhabit. Though I love to make pieces that match, I don't think I want to move toward wholesale at this point. I would still like to give myself space and flexibility to make anything I want. If anyone wants anything specific they should email me. I am always open to commissions. 

Do you have any dream projects that you would love to make a reality?

At this point I have a lot of dreams for the future. I hope to one day be able to move away from making pieces that are mostly functional. I would like to move toward more decorative pieces—pieces we don't hold in our hands. Pieces that stand alone outside of function. Recently I have also been fantasizing about lighting designs with thrown porcelain. On a smaller more short-term scale, I would like to teach and get my work into shops and markets.

If people want to keep up-to-date on your adventures, where should they go?

To keep up with me I would recommend following @jmf.ceramics on instagram or heading over to my site at jmfceramics.com.

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Thank you for reading our latest Studio Member Spotlight Interview with Jes Fisher.

Fall Season Meals: Pears & Ricotta

Let’s face it, sometimes I get incredibly bored with breakfast and more honestly, with cleaning dishes in the morning. So, when I found this pear and ricotta toast I couldn’t help but see the potential in flavor and the possibility of returning some much needed time to my sleep schedule. Super flavorful and satisfying, check out the recipe at bonappetit

Featured in these images are our Navy splash & Speckled White Dinner Plates.

Member Spotlight Interview: Hayley Cranberry

Wild Bower Studio catches up with Studio Member, Hayley Cranberry as she prepares for her first Solo show at Sixth Street Haunted House featuring her handmade ceramics.

Image by Liam Mayhugh

Could you tell us about your story and how you got to the place where you are now?

In high school I was interested in art, mostly photography and graphic design/web design, but I never took any classes or focused on any one medium specifically. I ended up getting really into photo in college, where I took one film class and really enjoyed developing and processing film in the darkroom. I mostly took photos as a hobby, and didn’t feel super confident or love what I was creating. I’ve also tried to watercolor paint, sketch, and draw with pastels, but I always hated everything I created and felt embarrassed by my attempt to make art. I ended up spending most of my early twenties focusing on my career. I have a Master or Urban Planning and work as a geospatial data analyst with the NYC Parks Department. I actually really love data and maps, but it doesn’t give me the kind of creative outlet that I seek.

How long have you been working in ceramics and what lead to you to want to work in this medium? Is it the history, material, process, community or something else?

For years, I was interested in learning to play with clay, but had never had the time or funds to do so. I was drawn to the final products that other artists were making: mostly the interesting silhouettes of vessels and physical textures of glazes. I’m really interested in physical touch as a part of art and I wanted to be intimate with a medium that allowed me to feel everything. Ceramics allow you to feel the clay at so many different stages: wet and clumpy slip, squeezable balls of clay, fragile greenware, rough bisque, and the final product coated in a variety of glazes. Sometimes I break a piece of greenware for fun when it’s leather-hard because I simply like the sensation of it so much. Its satisfying snap reminds me of breaking an eraser in half which was something I used to do as a kid.

In spring 2018, I quit my job that I was really unhappy at and spent 9 months walking dogs and relearning how to love myself as a human instead of a capitalist cog. That’s when I took up ceramics. After saving up and finally quitting, I was able to afford to take wheel throwing lessons and have free time to practice. I went to the ceramics studio pretty much every day. I remember telling everyone that I had finally found my medium. I was so excited, clay just felt right.

How would you define the style of your work and how did it develop?

I am anything but a perfectionist, so my pieces are often have a “wabi-sabi” or “natural” feeling to them. I seek forms that are strange, curving, and angular (I am still developing my skills to do this). I like my pieces to be glazed in a more minimalistic way. I always glaze in solid colors, and always matte. I have been leaning more towards blacks and whites lately, but when I glaze with color, I like them to be vibrant. I think my style of ceramics is very similar to my style in clothing/fashion. Mostly blacks and whites, severe yet flowing in terms of form, interesting texturally, sometimes a pop of bright color.

Image by Liam Mayhugh

Before I had even begun developing my ceramic skills, I had ideas of what forms and concepts I wanted to build on. I’m interested in the juxtaposition of traditional with more contemporary concepts. I like the idea of forming clay into vessels, an ancient method, and piercing them with contemporary earrings. Ancient clay forms, but pierced with a stainless steel hoop from my wardrobe, and glazed with a dark black, smooth, matte glaze. It feels like fashion-meets-design to me.

What does your process usually like? Do you have any philosophies or rituals attached to your craft? Do you have a specific shape or end goal in mind when starting a piece, or do you let it form as you work?

I rarely start a piece with a form or end-goal in mind unless it’s a commission. I often let the piece guide itself. Sometimes there are general shapes that I have in mind, but I find that my best work forms itself. I have been throwing multiple pieces lately and subsequently handbuilding them to fit together as one piece, and that feels like it is really working for me right now.

What is it like to be a New York-based artist? What makes this community unique?

The NYC art world is hard to get a foot into. I’m not sure I’m even there yet. It’s competitive, brutal, and “scene-y”. I generally try to stay in my own lane.

Speaking of community, you founded LUTTE COLLECTIVE, a community and space for disabled and chronically ill artists. Do you want to tell us more about this?

Yes, Lutte is an online community that features a disabled or chronically ill artist each month. I interview and write pieces about each artists’ work. I don’t consider myself a writer really, though. I try to be as unbiased as possible, simply letting the artist describe their own work. Each feature is an artist profile, not an art critique. Lutte gives a voice to disabled artists (including myself), whether their work directly focuses on their disability or not. Art is always political, even if it is not intentional.

Some of my pieces are directly related to my illness, such as Luxury Goods (2019) and Phlebotic Self Portrait (2018). Other pieces I make might not be related to my health outwardly, but realistically, everything I do always relates back to the way I navigate the world as a chronically ill person.

Image by Liam Mayhugh

You’ve got a solo show coming up on Oct 18th at Sixth Street Haunted House. Tell us about it. Will your show have a theme or overall focus? Are you trying to say anything in particular?

The show is entitled “have you ever met an angel,” and is dedicated to my late dog, Junie. It will be a body of work that includes larger vessels than I have made in the past. I am in the midst of creating them now, and they will be in all black and white matte.

Junie’s death was sudden and was part of the reason I quit my job in 2018. I was incredibly impacted by it emotionally and realized that I needed to leave the negative energy of my job behind and focus solely on love and positivity in my life. Junie lead me to ceramics.

Where do you see your practice moving towards? Are there any new techniques you’d like to try in the future?

I am trying so hard right now to throw 3+ lbs of clay. A lot of people say it doesn’t take any physical strength to throw, but along with learning the right positioning and skillset, it has been extremely hard for me, someone who is fatigued and ill and has no upper body strength. You need to push your body weight into the clay, and sometimes I just physically can’t do it. So I’m hoping at some point I can throw much larger vessels, and am slowly working my way up. It’s always exciting when I can claim a piece as the biggest I’ve thrown on the wheel.

Do you have a dream project that you would love to realize someday?

I have a goal of one day creating a large-scale colon/intestinal sculpture (haha). This is directly related to my illness.

Are there any other local makers whose work you’re really excited about?

Simone Bodmer-Turner, always. I am so intrigued not only by her art and forms she creates, but also by the aesthetic of the way she presents herself on the internet. I am also constantly drooling over the work of Jessica Coates in terms of form and clay bodies (though she is based in Germany), and fascinated with the colorways of glazes created by Workaday Handmade.

One of my friends, Mara Barringer, is an incredible painter who also makes hand-made clothing from recycled fabrics. I met her because I fell in love with her paintings when I used to interview artists for The Le Sigh (who are newly launching their next generation as Slumber Mag).

If people want to keep up-to-date on your adventures, where should they go?

Instagram: @hayleycranberry
or my website: www.hayleycranberry.com

Anything else you want to share?

❤

sending u all health

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Thank you for reading our latest Studio Member Spotlight Interview with Hayley Cranberry.

Wild Bower Studio’s Membership space is located in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Our Studio Member Spotlight was created inline with our mission to introduce, educate and support our members and artist friends. To stay up to date with news, Spotlight Interviews and more, please follow our Medium page or subscribe to our Newsletter.