Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carolyn Young. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Carolyn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
Letting go of the wheel. After more than 20 years as a potter, both my hands developed chronic tendinitis. As it became more difficult and painful to wedge, center, throw, and carve, I had a decision to make. What was I willing to give up and how would I move forward? After some soul searching, I decided to give up the wheel. That meant no more mugs that had become so popular and no more lidded jars with intricate carvings & tiny sculptures on the lid. I wasn’t willing to give up clay, but I had to develop a body of work to replace my very successful thrown work.
Inspired by my love of totem poles, my first attempt at creating sculptural wall pieces that would reflect my heritage and include my signature sgraffito work were what I call Totem Sticks – a totem pole for your wall. This allowed me to work strictly with slabs of clay and eliminate the very painful wedging and throwing. The totem sticks have been a hit and are now the main thing I create in clay. Carving clay also causes my hands to hurt but I’m not yet willing to give that up. So I compensate by planning my schedule to spend no more than 2-3 hours carving at a time & take lots of breaks. After lots of physical therapy & reduced stress on them, my hands began to heal a bit and I no longer fear losing the use of them.
Since then my husband and I had to make another hard decision – to give up the show circuit. No more Santa Fe Indian Market, no more Heard Museum or Eiteljorg – or the myriad other, smaller Indian Markets we loved to do. Age, strength, and physical limitations make it impossible for us to haul, set up and take down a booth any more so we had to let that go too. I’m very fortunate to have galleries such as the Worrell in Santa Fe, NM, Mountain Arts in Ruidoso, NM, and Raven Makes in Sisters, OR who keep me busy with totem sticks.
But then the pandemic struck and my wonderful galleries had to close early in 2020. I worked to build up inventory for a while, then decided it was time to find a new medium to diversify my inventory. I decided to paint. This was totally new to me but we were stuck at home where I have a beautiful, huge studio with internet. So I began to talk to my painter friends about their favorite materials, styles, and artists. Then I started watching YouTube videos and found a lot of things I liked and eliminated a lot as well. When I found teachers from whom I wanted to learn, I signed up for their online classes & ordered supplies online. Being quarantined was never a problem for us because we enjoy each other’s company – but once I discovered the pure joy of painting, I was hooked. I painted daily – all day if I could – and tried all sorts of paints (except oils – they scare me a little). I’ve settled mostly on acrylics and have just begun showing my work and selling it on my website.
Fortunately, the galleries reopened last Spring and totem sticks began flying out their doors. So now my days are filled with painting and creating totem sticks.
How did I feel when having to make these difficult decisions? Grateful. I am grateful beyond measure to live a creative life with the unyielding support of my husband in our little slice of heaven on earth.
Carolyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
For 33 years, I was a quality engineer for a major aerospace company. Midway through my career, looking for a way to relieve stress, I discovered and fell in love with clay. I bought a wheel and practiced my craft every day, preparing for the day I could retire and live my dream – to be a full-time potter. In 2009, I took a giant leap & retired early from aerospace to live that dream.
From the beginning of my clay journey, my work has had a Native American feel. When I learned the sgraffito (carving) technique, I began carving petroglyphs on my pots and never looked back. Although I knew we were Choctaw, my mom didn’t talk much about it as we were growing up. When she died, I found a copy of the Choctaw Role (aka Dawes Role) with my grandmother listed. Later I learned that my maternal grandfather was also Choctaw, but he was registered on the Mississippi Choctaw role. With that documentation I could apply for tribal membership. Becoming a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma was momentous for me. It allowed me to make authentic Native American art that would honor my tribe, my family, and our ancestors.
Sgraffito is the technique I most love to use. The word means “to scratch”. After rolling out slabs of white stoneware clay, I let the slabs dry a bit. When the clay is firm to the touch, it’s broken into random shards, covered in three layers of rich black slip, then a layer of wax. As soon as the wax dries, I carve designs such as spirit animals and tribal symbols. As I carve through the layers of black, the creamy white clay beneath is revealed for a most dramatic effect. For a pop of color, brightly colored slips may be added at this stage. The feel of the leather hard clay as I carve it feeds my soul, and the pops of color make my heart sing!
Often clients ask me to create a totem stick that tells their story or that of a loved one. That is not only thrilling for me, but almost always I need to design and create a shard or animal I’ve not done before. Some of my best ideas have come from working with clients to create their personal story.
The high point of my career in clay was when the Choctaw Nation commissioned me to create a piece for the brand new Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant, OK. Shomo Takali is the first Choctaw village from the 1700s to be examined by archaeologists. Shards from a pottery bowl were discovered with traditional Choctaw designs etched into the clay. Photos of the shards were provided to me and I was asked to create a modern bowl that would reference the ancient bowl and its designs in some way. It is now on display, alongside the original shards, in a permanent exhibit in the Choctaw Cultural Center, which opened to the public in October 2021. I couldn’t be more proud of my small part in preserving Choctaw history for generations to come.
The goal of my work is to honor the culture of my ancestors, rising from the dust of genocide to a vibrant community devoted to preserving our history, language, and traditions. It is my fervent hope that I can do the same with my paintings.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When the pandemic struck, my wonderful galleries had to close early in 2020. For a while, I worked to build up inventory, then decided it was time to find a new medium to diversify and build a new body of work. I decided to paint. This was totally new to me, but we were stuck at home where I have a beautiful, huge studio with internet. So I began to talk to my painter friends about their favorite materials, styles, and artists. Then I watched endless YouTube videos and found a lot of things I liked – and eliminated a lot as well. When I found teachers from whom I wanted to learn, I signed up for online classes & purchased supplies online. Being quarantined was never a problem for us because we enjoy each other’s company – but once I discovered the pure joy of painting, I was hooked. I painted daily – all day if I could – and tried all sorts of paints (except oils – they scare me a little). I’ve settled mostly on acrylics, and I’ve just begun showing my work and selling it on my website.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My Native American heritage is rich with stories of suffering and triumph – the foundation of who we are today. Our sense of identity may be lost forever if we don’t preserve and pass them on. I create art that speaks to the heart of the stories and the souls of my ancestors.
The goal of my work is to honor the culture of my ancestors, rising from the dust of genocide to a vibrant community devoted to preserving our history, language, and traditions. It is my fervent hope that I can do the same with my paintings.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carolynbernardyoung.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolynbernardyoung_art
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/earthtoart
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/earth-to-art-pottery-studio-weatherford