“Spotlight Q&A” — Sarah Lawless — Artisan/Potter

One of the many purposes of our “Spotlight” is to introduce you to some of Canada's lesser known artisans. We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Lawless, a potter from Nelson, in the beautiful Kootenay Region of B.C.

Sarah Lawless is an artisan/potter, currently studying at Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson, BC. She grew up in Southeastern Ontario, and earned a B.A. in English from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC. Before attending art school, she spent several years teaching in various non-traditional settings, including an international kindergarten in Bangkok, Thailand. In the two years since discovering ceramics, she has earned two BC Arts Council Scholarships, and spent a summer apprenticing with Bronfman Award winner, Wayne Ngan. She lives with her husband Kendrick Mauser in Kaslo, BC.

DS:

Give us some of your early history, those formative years, as they say. When did you know you could, indeed, call you yourself an artist? How did you get your start?

SL:

I grew up on a small self-sufficient farm, with no TV (or very little, at least), and plenty of opportunity for imaginative play. My siblings and I were fortunate to witness first-hand the creativity of nature, as we tended the garden and helped raise the livestock, and we were involved in the production of our own food, clothing, and shelter. Our family made maple syrup, raised honey bees, churned butter (well, blended it at least), baked bread, preserved fruit... My mother sewed a lot of our clothes, and my father brought in our monetary income through his business as a fine woodworker.

My father, Brian, is, in fact, a talented artist, whose parents refused to let him go to art school for fear of his becoming a "starving artist". Instead, he apprenticed as a woodworker, and today takes great pride in the impeccable craftsmanship of his functional art.

As for me, I was always drawing and making things with my hands, from the time I was very young. My parents still have a lot of the drawings I did when I was three years old! I didn't really have the concept of being an "artist", however. I do remember thinking that I wanted to be a singer (music was also prominent in my big Celtic family), but I was much too shy for that. I studied art in high school, but at that time was much more concerned with saving the world. I wanted to be a teacher or a journalist. I always loved to write, too. In any case, as much as I loved art class, I never developed an affinity for any of the limited range of materials we were exposed to, and I never seriously considered making art a profession. I studied English in University, and went off to Thailand to teach and pay off my student loan.

I consider my time in Thailand to be the pivotal experience of my life so far, and the beginning of my conscious path to art. During the first few months, I was extremely overwhelmed and culture-shocked. I remember very clearly one moment, while I was taking a shower (inspiration always happens in the shower, doesn't it?), and having serious doubts about my life's direction. In particular, I was pondering the question "What am I doing in Thailand? Why have I really come here?" As I stepped out of the shower, I happened to glance at a piece of African art hanging on the wall, and suddenly an answer came to me: "I have come here for art."

It took me several years to begin to discover what that meant. Thailand, as it turned out, is a culture steeped in craft traditions. I fell in love with Thai textiles, and collected reams of hand-made paper and silk. Still writing madly, I learned to make my own journals, giving me more reason to collect local textiles. Meanwhile, I found myself teaching kindergarten in an international school, whose alternative curriculum was based on the arts, visual art in particular. Art was used as a means for teaching everything from math to languages, and the children were involved in self-directed group projects using art as their main means of communication and problem-solving. I was deeply inspired by their spontaneous, trial-and-error approach to creativity, and their tendency to believe that anything is possible.

After three years, I returned to Canada, still unclear as to my role as an artist. I spent the next three years in Kingston, Ontario, where I continued to make books (and to sell some), while teaching in daycare centres, summer camps, and an art studio for Special Needs adults. It was a difficult three years. During that time, September 11 happened, three family members and a long-time friend passed away, and my partner and I experienced the disappointment of two failed pregnancies. But at the same time, my creative impulses began to express themselves publicly: I published some magazine articles; I got involved in a women's singing circle and learned to project my voice; and my partner and I organized a thoroughly unique wedding for ourselves. Meanwhile, I discovered "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, which gave me the tools and the confidence to recognize the importance of art in my life. And working with the Special Needs adults helped, too: I realized that, with all of their barriers, they were able to create amazing works of art, so what was my excuse? I decided it was time to make the leap from helping others create art, to devoting my energies to creating art of my own. When I was accepted to art school, I began calling myself an artist.

JS:

Tell us about the kind of art you create, today.

SL:

I make functional pottery. This came as a surprise to me, since I was so interested in textiles and bookbinding, but when I got my hands in clay, it felt like a reunion with an old friend. I loved playing in the mud as a child, and the children I have taught were always keen to express themselves with clay, so I suppose it appeals to the childlike, playful side of me. In any case, there's definitely something primal about clay as a medium, its ability to metamorphose into anything, and a connection with our own origins in the dirt. On a more practical level, I've always loved cooking, and pottery, and I like the idea of creating art that can be incorporated into daily living, whose full significance can only be experienced through direct contact and use, rather than simply placed on display in a gallery.

So my pots, while functional, are not purely utilitarian or traditional, but are expressions of my own inner nature. The work I do now is deeply connected with my love of clay, its fluidity and ephemeral quality. It also reflects my sense of the interconnectedness of all phenomena, of all living things. I communicate this through forms that are all of one piece- — that appear, in fact, to be growing. An acquaintance of mine put it best when she said my pots look like I have "birthed" them.

DS:

Sarah, I know that you lead a very busy life… Are you fulltime at your art? How do you balance your art with "spending time with your family" and any other interests?

SL:

I am fortunate to have a very supportive husband with a paying job. We are far from financially wealthy, but we revel in making the most of what we do have, which makes us wealthy beyond our wildest dreams. As a full-time art student, I am full-time at my art, for the time being, at least. And, yes, it is often difficult to balance my art with family, but my husband has an artistic life of his own, so much of our time together involves the sharing of artistic ideas, and sharing space as we work on our own art projects.

As for other interests, I don't feel that my art is at all separate from the other things that I do. Cooking, gardening, meditating, traveling, writing, singing, spending time in nature... They all feed my art. It could not exist without them. To quote Thich Nhat Hanh: "I know very well that I cannot write poetry if I do not also grow lettuce."

DS:

Very well put... Many of the artists we talk to, talk about that same "feeding of their art"... Who or what has been most influential in your work? Any mentors? What has been your inspiration?

SL:

I have already described the influential roles of my childhood, my parents, Thailand, and children. Music has also played a role, to varying degrees and in various ways, throughout my life. Even when it is merely a hum in the background, I am aware of a perpetual natural rhythm within me, which flows out in my work. Of equal and similar importance to me is my lifelong development of an increasingly Buddhist spiritual practice.

I have been fortunate to have several mentors, including: my husband Kendrick, a photographer and graphic designer, with his own whimsical art, childlike exuberance, and outlandish ideas; my grandfather Ken, with his collection of antiques (including a fair amount of pottery!) and the stories to go with them; and my instructors at art school: Pam Nagley-Stevenson, David Lawson, and Garry Graham. I also had the privilege of working for master potter/sculptor/painter Wayne Ngan, who taught me to harness my body's power in working with clay, as well as showing me that a pot needn't be limited by the wheel and the circle. I find further inspiration in the neolithic pottery of various cultures, and in the work of Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, and David Shaner.

The forms and surfaces of my pieces themselves are informed by natural processes: the striations in a sea-worn stone, moss growing on the forest floor, the rust and decay of old machines and architecture. They are strongly influenced by my environment, and I have been fortunate to live in some very inspiring places — the Ottawa Valley, Hornby Island, Bangkok, and my current home in a log cabin nestled in the West Kootenay mountains.

DS:

And what about challenges, the artist's growing pains...What challenges do you face as an artist? How do you deal with them?

SL:

Getting beyond the inevitable fear and self-doubt, making peace with uncertainty... I fear that I won't be able to make a living at what I love to do, doubt that my work is or will be "good enough", worry that I am doing it for selfish reasons and not making a real contribution to the good of society. When my work receives praise, I worry about developing an inflated ego; when it receives criticism, I fear that it is all just garbage. I am attempting to deal with these challenges through constant self-reflection, daily meditation, and making a conscious steady effort to just do the work. When I am doing the work, when I am truly present in doing the work, the work seems to do itself, and I am able to remove my ego from it, so that it no longer defines "me". At least, this is what I am aiming for. These moments, of course, are fleeting.

DS:

What do you currently enjoy most about being an artisan?

SL:

In the process of doing my art, I am learning to see things--my life and the world around me--with increasing clarity, depth, and appreciation. I love that the act of creating puts me in touch with the mystery and beauty of Creation. It feels very natural and wholesome for me to be doing this. I also believe, though, that anyone who is pursuing their true life's work will feel this way about it, whether or not it is "art" in the official sense.

And I must admit that I love the feeling of pride and self-validation that comes with creating a beautiful object--especially when others appreciate it, too.

DS:

So, how do you determine what your next art piece will be? Do you have a theme or purpose beforehand?

SL:

As a potter, I work in series, producing lines of near-identical pieces. Over time and with practice, these series evolve, each piece an attempt to improve on the previous one--either aesthetically or functionally. Ideas for new series emerge naturally from the old ones, and are usually based on technique rather than on an image of a finished product. I begin with the premise "I wonder what will happen if I try this..." The first attempts are usually quite crude, but become refined as the production process continues.

The theme or purpose is always dictated in some way by the required function of a particular piece, followed immediately by the question: "How can I completely change the expected form of, say, a plate, and still make it functional?"

DS:

What, if anything, would you change about being a "creative person". If you had your "druthers" about anything in your artistic journey what would you like to have changed or done differently and why?

SL:

Honestly, I would change nothing. I have done what was necessary to bring me to this point, and I couldn't be happier. There have been periods of confusion and struggle, but I know these were necessary in making me who I am today, and especially in making me an artist. I am definitely grateful that I had the ability to learn the lessons given to me. I also don't believe that my journey has ended--as soon as it has, I will cease to be an artist (and probably cease to be, period). There is so much more I want to do, to try, to incorporate into my artistic life. In particular, I would at some point like to teach again, to help others in their creative journeys. I would like to write a book. And I still want to be a singer!

DS:

Being an artist requires not only creativity but it also takes lots of hard work. Do you ever experience "burnout"? How do you handle it?

SL:

So far, I have only experienced burnout as a result of reacting to external pressures (ie. the desire for approval, the need to be "successful", the demands and expectations of school instructors, etc.). I have no problem working hard, working long hours, because I love every minute of it. I do, however, need to remember to take a break now and then, to change my environment to step outside the studio and breath some fresh air, to get regular exercise and to eat nourishing food. All of these help to prevent my burning out from the long hours, and meditation practice help to minimize my reactions to external pressures.

DS:

I believe your answer to that question just said a huge mouthful to many of us...excellent advice! Sarah, what about "procrastination"? I hear many artists talk about this common problem… Is this a regular challenge or do you only have your 'moments'?

SL:

Procrastination has never been a problem for me. Rather, I have the opposite problem: the desire to do everything RIGHT NOW, for fear of forgetting it later. I deal with this by making 'to do' lists, and keeping a notebook to jot down ideas that I don't currently have time to deal with. If I procrastinate on anything, it's on the other areas of my life, like sleep, food, recreation, and spending time with friends and family. I strive constantly to maintain a balance.

DS:

How did you get started selling your work? And Where?

SL:

I have just recently begun selling my work, starting with the semester-end sales at school. I have also sold several pieces to friends and family members, as well as in a student exhibit at a local craft gallery. This summer, I have set up a stall in the local outdoor market, where I'm managing to sell quite a bit of the work I produced over the school year, and am making contacts with collectors and owners of gift/craft shops. My little town is a popular tourist destination, so many of these contacts are from larger urban centres, other provinces, and even other countries. Right now, I am trying to gain as much exposure as possible, taking advantage of whatever opportunities arise. The more connections I make and maintain (with my school, with galleries, with art councils and craft guilds), the more opportunities arise.

I am also fortunate that my school's program includes courses in marketing, where I have picked up some strategies, as well as lists of actual outlets for selling my work.

DS:

That's great that your Kootenay School of the Arts provides some marketing courses. There's many artists out there who are extremely talented and creative with their art or craft but when it comes to marketing themselves and selling their art, the entrepreneurial or business side of the equation, they're not sure what to do or what will work the best for them.

Sarah, is there a particular kind of art lover who buys your art?

SL:

My work generally appeals to people of my own generation, both men and women, as well as other creative people of various age groups. It appeals to people who are tired of seeing pottery that "all looks the same", and to people who appreciate all types of pottery. To my great surprise, urbanites and modern designers especially seem to like my work. I don't currently pre-plan how to reach them, as I am just beginning to discover who my market is.

DS:

Do you have a website or have you taken advantage of any other online or offline advertising, marketing and sales means?

SL:

My husband is currently working on designing a website for me. In the meantime, he has posted images of my work on his own weblog site, so that I can share them with friends and family members and occasionally with other interested buyers. I have managed to sell a few pieces this way already. I hope that my website, when completed, will be another means of selling my work to non-local buyers.

DS:

Can you offer any creative advice to artists or craftspeople who are aspiring to sell their work?

SL:

Make yourself visible, talk to people, listen to people (especially important!), and as a craftsperson, look for ways to make your product unique and original. Ultimately, I think that if you are able to express yourself honestly, through your work and through your direct communication with people, your work will sell itself, whenever you put it out there for other people to see. Finally, remember that your "market" is comprised of actual human beings, not unlike yourself. Try to put yourself in their shoes, to see your work as they might see it, and to treat them with respect and genuine interest. In the end, they are buying a piece of you along with your art. It helps if they feel a connection with you.

Editorial Comment:

• We'd like to thank Sarah Lawless for giving us the opportunity to get to know her. She's shared some interesting experiences and some good advice, too. We're pleased to showcase some of her pottery on our website. You may also view her art at http://pottery.shrimphead.ca

  
  

• Be sure to watch for her at the local art and craft shows in the Kootenay Region. You'll probably start to see a lot more of her art work appear in galleries and craft shops, soon, too. I'm sure you'll agree, she's one of Canada's up and coming artisans with a very promising future.

EXIT to A&CNet Website