Conversations with the Inspiring Kaitlyn Chipps

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Chipps.

Kaitlyn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I went to college for a 2d design and illustration degree, not ever doing anything in ceramics or 3 dimensional arts. I had to take ceramics as part of the degree, which I waited until the very end thinking that it would be difficult and not enjoyable. I struggled at first, just like any beginner, but quickly learned how much I loved making pottery not only as an art but also, as something functional and utilitarian. After taking a few semesters of ceramics, my professor hired me on as a studio assistant where I got a taste of what taking care of a studio of my own would be like. Sadly, where we lived in Orlando, there were no large open studios where you could spend all day working on your pottery passion. It was my dream to work in a large studio outside the classroom. After my husband graduated college a few years ago, we moved to Atlanta, where I quickly found my community of potters at Mudfire, my dream studio! While I never pursued ceramics further than a few semesters at a community college, coming to Mudfire opened up so many new opportunities for me. Being surrounded by so many different ceramic artists and mentors helped me realize that this is what I wanted to do as my job. I am now currently an artist in residence at Mudfire which has helped direct me into making my ceramics into a small business of my own.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my biggest obstacles in pursuing my dream as a professional potter would be finding a space and community. When I lived in Orlando, the only studio space I had was the classroom and my hot Florida garage. There were a few students who shared my passion for ceramics but usually, the students were there for the class credit. I was really lucky to have moved to Atlanta where I found a large studio space called Mudfire. It really helps to be surrounded by other creative minds with the same passions. Even if you don’t have access to a community like Mudfire, there is always another outlet. Social media has made it easy to reach out to other artists and even finding online communities for support.

I have also struggled with people not accepting what I do as a job. As someone who has turned their art into a job and profession, I find that there are people who don’t understand how I make it a “job”. It’s very common for people to say that what I do is a hobby or that I need to get a “real” job, which can be very degrading. I’ve learned to push past it and stay true to myself and my work, while informing those who would not normally understand. I am doing what I love and I’m really good at it! Continuing to push forward with my passion and creating has brought me to where I am now and where I will keep climbing.

what should we know about Kai Ceramics? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As a ceramic artist, my work focuses on the functional object as an instrument for my exploration of fantasy, nature and play. My most popular forms are my mugs and jars. What makes my work unique are the whimsical handles and special finials on each of my pieces. When I started making handles for mugs, I quickly got bored with how traditional they looked. To spice it up, I started making the handles more flashy, yet elegant. I have always felt that the handles on a mug are like a handshake with the creator. I want my handles to reflect who I am and what inspires me to be creative. The tops of my lids for my jars and handle for my mugs will all have some sort of whimsical finial as the knob that reflects the movement of a growing vine or budding sprout. I find working with both porcelain and dark brown stonewares accentuate colors and intensify my surface decoration.

For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I highly recommend any organization app. I currently utilize multiple app that helps keep bullet lists for what I need to do each day. It is easy to forget when someone asks for a commission and I have a terrible memory. Keeping myself organized is the key to making everything easier!

There are very few books on ceramics that I read, but I have found that watching other ceramic artist on YouTube or Instagram has been a huge help for me. Whether it’s to get inspirational ideas or even to just learn about different techniques that other artists use.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kaiceramics.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: Instagram.com/KaiCeramics
• Facebook: Facebook.com/KaiCeramics
• Other: YouTube.com/c/KaiCeramicsOfficial

Image Credit:
Kaitlyn Chipps

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