Inside The Studio | Sarah Van Raden

Come along with us inside of Sarah’s Oregon Coast studio. Listen as Sarah reflects upon her long-term relationship with clay and with creativity. Get an intimate look inside her process and learn what’s inspiring her most right now, looking ahead towards another year of Notary Ceramics & Home.

How long have you been working with clay now? What do you love so much about it?

Technically I took one course of ceramics in college, but my professor was not at all impressed with the muted color palette that I tended towards, so I ended up with a low grade and an even lower impression of the ceramic world. It took roughly 15 years to end up back in a studio, playing with clay again. Now it has been 10 years since I opened Notary and 11 since I started pottering away with no real goal, in my basement "studio".

It feels like a small thing, but each morning that I wake up and get to go play with clay I am giddy. Genuinely smiley and excited to get to my studio, open a bag of clay, inhale that gorgeous mossy, muddy smell and get to create something from scratch. 

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What about being a creative continues to surprise you the most?

I think I am most surprised by how often inspiration continues to hit me. After 11 years of doing this I though I would run out of ideas or feel bored by the same medium. But that could not be further from the truth. 

Tell us about your creative process. Do you think of ideas before you sit at the wheel or start throwing and see what happens?

It depends on the day. I have an ongoing list of things I need to create for special orders, or items that I need to replenish for our shop. However, there are other days that I ignore the list and simply create something I have been dreaming of, or let the clay dictate the shape and object. I am often suprised by the shapes that emerge when I don't think too hard about the piece I am making. Sometimes the best new pieces are born from happy accidents, and following a new shape that emerges based on my hands, the batch of clay, or the overall mood of the day. 

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What creative dreams do you have for Notary this year, and/or looking further ahead?

I have been falling deeply in love with porcelain. It is a type of clay that is famed for being difficult to work with and especially hard to throw with. However, it is so silky and when thrown and trimmed to a very thin thickness, it can also be quite translucent. I want to focus on growing my lighting offerings this year, with a particular focus on translucent porcelain shapes. 

~ view our table lamps ~

~ view our pendants ~

Is there anything specifically about Spring arriving that is inspiring you at the moment? 

Flowers and the smell of the earth are constantly inspiring to me. I grew up on a small farm and spent my childhood playing for hours and hours in the woods and our open field. This experience influences everything I create and I am endlessly inspired by the changing landscape in Oregon, with Spring being my favorite season. 

~ peruse our spring collection ~

What it is like for you to find balance when your creative outlet is also your job?

I used to feel guilty spending time in my studio when I was not technically meant to be "working". However, now that I have a studio at our house on the Oregon coast I am finding new ways to enjoy my creative downtime. I often use this time to simply play and to create things in tandem with my daughters. I will throw a cup and the girls will adorn it with little faces they have molded, or we will spend hours gathering beautiful bits from the shoreline to create garlands for our spaces. It’s all about giving myself time to be silly and playful, and not put any pressure on this time.

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What advice do you have for fellow artists hoping to sustain a longterm relationship with their art?

I would encourage anyone to follow a passion that they have in the arts, and throw your whole self into your work. It is an immense amount of work to create a sustainable practice in the arts, yet it is also the most rewarding endeavor I have ever known. Fear keeps a lot of us from doing the things we love, but perseverance and A LOT of hard work really can make anything possible. Lastly, I would say to find your community and your audience. It is so important to connect with other people who appreciate the art you bring to the world, and the community you build will be what sustains your business. 

What’s something most of your clients probably don't know about you?

I have an autoimmune disease that makes me pretty fatigued, and often causes me to suffer from anxiety. I work diligently to strike a balance between work and rest in order to continue my practice with clay and my business. But some days I simply have nothing left to offer and I will stay home to catch up on sleep and rest. I find those restful days are often when I am hit with big creative ideas, and I keep a notebook next to by bed to record all of things that come into my head. 

 

What else would you like for us to know today?

This little business has been such an incredible and life changing undertaking. It has shaped how I view myself as an artist and a business owner. My daughters and my husband feel a strong connection and sense of ownership in this beautiful space that we have created. The business as well as the shop have evolved slowly and sustainably over time, creating a very unique and elegant environment that feels so warm and incredibly personal. In this next year we will celebrate 10 years in the shop and 11 years in business. I am so excited to include our community in this next chapter and to continue creating a space that is welcoming, calm, inspiring, and beautiful. 

xoxo,

Sarah Van Raden