Betsey Carter
Do you have a story behind your company name?
When I began selling my work I decided to keep things simple, using my name and what I do, i.e., Betsey Carter Ceramics. I also decided to sign my work with my name handwritten either into the clay or in black slip. So all my pots have “Betsey” written on the bottom
A nice personal touch! Tell us more about how you got started?
I majored in art in college, focusing on ceramics and sculpture, but after graduation I soon decided that the struggling artist life wasn’t for me. I then went to graduate school for a master’s degree in something completely different. I always knew I’d come back to pottery someday, and about 25 years ago I did.
That is so cool, full circle! What inspires you to create?
Providing functional, useful, and beautiful objects we need and use every day in our homes .
And who are your biggest influences?
I have been influenced by teachers, by my environment, by history, by practice and research, and many other inputs. But the thread running through it all is the philosophy of William Morris, a leader of the British Arts and Crafts movement who said that we should have nothing in our homes that we do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. Creating objects that are both useful and beautiful is the heart of what I try to do.
How as your style changed over time?
I believe artists’ work is strongly influenced by their surroundings. My early years as a studio potter were in my hometown of Charleston, SC, and my work was influenced by the historical and formal setting of that city that was settled in the 17th century. I worked mainly in high fired porcelain with slip decorations, mishima, and lusters, resulting in work that reflected the formality of my surroundings. Since moving to Southern California my work has gradually taken on a more informal design, mirroring the surrounding colors, shapes, and forms. I have also changed to rich, toasty stoneware clays.
Do you have a favorite part of the maker process?
Definitely throwing pots on the wheel!
I tried doing it once at a class, and it was so challenging! What is the hardest part of the creation process?
As a one-person business, time management has to be the most challenging part of the process. Coordinating the designing and making processes, publicity, marketing, and shipping, plus online, wholesale and in person selling is an ongoing process.
What is a typical day like in the studio for you?
It depends on the day of the week. I typically start each week with 2-3 days of throwing pots on the wheel, followed by another 2-3 days of trimming and finishing (handles, carving, etc.). When the pots are dry they are then ready to bisque fire and finally glaze fire.
Do you have a favorite item you have created?
I especially love throwing large serving bowls.
Does your art help you in other aspects of your life?
It makes me a better person to be around. When I can work at some aspect of making on most days, I am calmer, happier, and feel more accomplished.
How do you define your success as an artist?
I would define success as finding a way to incorporate your art into your life in a way that suits your life. For some that will be working at it full time and making and a living with your art. For others, it means squeezing in a bit of your art around all the other parts of your life. For most it’s probably somewhere between those two poles. Figuring how to do your art in whatever way suits your life at that moment is success.
Do you have anything special that you will be bringing to Jackalope?
I’ll be bringing a variety of work: lots of mugs, bowls of various sizes, vases, teapots, planters, candlesticks, touchstones, bells, wall hangings, all the things I love to make.
What did you miss most about in-person events now that events are picking back up again?
I missed seeing all the people. I love meeting new customers and catching up with long-time friends. I get such inspiration from the people visiting my booth and buying my work. They tell me how they’re using a piece, what they’d like for me to make, or, if it was a gift, how it was received. The interaction is a joy.
What do you love most about Pasadena?
It reminds me of my home, Charleston, SC, in that it’s big enough to have good restaurants, shopping, and other niceties of life, but it’s still compact enough that you can get around and take advantage of those things.
Catch Betsey Carter Ceramics at Jackalope Pasadena on April 27th & 28th, 2024.
