We love the personalized handmade ceramics for the home, garden, & pet enthusiasts by Hadley Clay Studio. Inspired by her love for animals, fascination of color, and passion for clay, Hadley finds inspiration in her customers, who often present new ideas in the form of custom orders.
Her favorite maker moment? You’ll just have to read to find out!
Meet The Maker
Why did you turn to your handmade craft and business?
After receiving a BFA from Herron School of Art in Indiana, I moved south with little more than my kiln, two dogs, and a dream. I built a workshop in my backyard, travelled the local art fair circuit and settled in my new space with selling online directly to art galleries and customers.
What inspires your craft?
I am inspired by my medium. I love pushing the boundaries of ceramics. I incorporate my love for animals, fascination of color, and passion for clay into my work. When it comes to the products, it’s the stories behind them that inspire.
What are a few benefits and challenges of being a handmade artisan?
My biggest challenge so far is knowing exactly where to go from where I am now. I have big dreams and lots of ideas for Hadley Clay Studio, but right now I’m a one-woman show, and I don’t have the resources to see all of my dreams through right away. I try not to get overwhelmed by all of the things I want to do, and I just take baby steps towards my goals and focus on making what I do now the best it can be.
Describe the process behind the production of your craft.
Customers send me photos of their pets for me to portray on their mug. I draw and carve the image in reverse on a tile that I use as a mold. I handbuilt all of my work with slab-construction techniques,
using the mold to create a relief texture on the mug. I finish the mugs by hand painting the details using layers of underglaze. It is a time consuming process but I enjoy every stage of it and especially love the results!
Do you have a favorite memory surrounding your craft, company, and customers?
I am so pleased with the success of Hadley Clay Studio! In November 2014 I was featured on BuzzFeed and it was probably the hugest push for my work to date. Reaching a mainstream audience of that magnitude took my business to another level!
Do you have any advice for other artisans?
Advice I might offer to someone starting their own creative business is to think about several factors including the type of audience you want to attract, your own passions and how much time you want to focus on your business. Success happens when you are constantly pushing yourself. Take risks, challenge your whole being, and never stop learning.
