I was fortunate to visit Faribault several years ago as part of a training exercise at work – it was a unique experience, and the underutilization of the mill was apparent even though I knew nothing about production at the time. Since then, the mill has been purchased and revitalized, focusing on vertically-integrated [meaning, everything happens in one place!] production with an emphasis on heritage and quality. It’s been amazing to see local Minnesota brands support Faribault over the years, and now I’m thrilled to see the brand gain awareness at a national level.
I learned of Suite One Studio through Becca’s Edit post… and since then, I’ve fallen totally in love with Lindsay Emery’s work. If you’ve ever thrown a pot, you know how difficult it can be to work in ceramics, and Lindsay’s amazing eye and appreciation for quality is apparent in every aspect of her line.
While speaking with Lindsay , one of the things that stood out to me is that after falling in love with pottery in college, she bought a wheel and started practicing – throwing and scrapping pots over and over again. She didn’t have a kiln to fire these pieces, so she literally had nothing to show for her work. Regardless of what you think of the ten-thousand hour rule, this shows a true commitment and dedication to the craft. What would you do over and over again just for fun? Is there a way to create a career out of that?
HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON YOUR CAREER PATH?
In 2007, I got a Kitchenaid stand mixer and it came with a one-year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine. I saw that the F&W editorial was filled with beautiful pottery and had a lightbulb moment – seeing props like that solved a question I had had about my artistic path. It made me realize that I wanted to be, and could be, a potter. Food & Wine is still a major source of inspiration today…. And I’ve come full circle and had my work in the magazine!
HOW DID YOU MOVE FROM ARTIST TO BUSINESS?
In 2010 I moved to Greensboro, North Carolina and made a promise to myself– “No matter what, I’m not going to get a job. No matter what, I’m going to make pots and make that my career.” I started to consider the work I was doing as a business, not just as an artistic endeavor. It was a totally different way to look at my work.
I love that I am able to explore artistic spontaneity – I can make what I want, whenever I want to make it. But while I am an artist with a collection, I also need to act as a business owner managing a brand. Social media has been great because I am able to meet people who approach things with the same sense of seriousness as I do.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I’m inspired by local antique shops and consignment stores – looking through tableware of the past. It has been helpful for me to see what people have used and made in the past. It answers a lot of questions about what will work in my collection.
What I’m making is related to what was made in the past. I like that. That’s a good thing.
I’m a terrible interviewer…Lindsay and I spoke for quite a while, but I was a little too engaged in the conversation to take good notes! For more, check out Lindsay’s blog and at some point, we’ll share a part 2! Thanks, Lindsay!
I’ve always loved jewelry. I spent hours in Claire’s as a kid (sorry, mom!), fell deep into the beaded + string jewelry phase, and even took metal smithing + stone setting classes in high school. My love could be innate (my 18 month old niece already loves to accessorize!), or it could be a product of the hours I spent watching and helping my mom pick out the perfect pieces while growing up.
Although my taste has changed over the years, I’ve never been one to have a huge collection- I stick to a few pieces and wear them over and over. I feel naked without my constants: a watch, my rings, and a few bracelets, and I swap out my favorite earrings and necklaces each season. Something about jewelry makes it feel more personal than anything else I wear, so I like my pieces to reflect that. I can’t add jewelry to my list of items that should always be bought in America, because I love finding unique pieces when I travel, but I believe that jewelry should always be special, and ideally hand-made.
Some of my current American made jewelry favorites… I own everything on the bottom row and wear the bracelets and rings daily. I’ve been wearing the earrings most days (alternating with these) and am debating which of these three necklaces to add to my collection this season… which one do you like best?!
