We recently connected with Allison Neiss and have shared our conversation below.

Allison, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

If I could go back in time, I would have started my creative journey sooner because it has brought me so much joy and fulfillment in my life. Ever since I was a child, I always admired unique types of ceramic art and wondered how they were created. While I was always fascinated by pottery, I never invested in myself to learn the craft. Instead, I focused on what I thought I was supposed to do, which was to do well in school and get a corporate job to support myself. The years passed quickly, and I found myself juggling my career and family. While I had great success at work, I always felt that something was missing. In my late 30s, I thought about investing in a hobby for myself but felt guilty about taking time away from my young family. I felt there was a stigma that moms shouldn’t take time away from their family to focus on themselves. My husband, who is passionate about fitness, always made it a priority in his life to work out at least three times a week. I figured since he took time for himself, why shouldn’t I? I talked with my husband about balancing our schedules so I could take a pottery class and finally try something for me. I signed up for a class at my local community center and fell in love with making pottery and the supportive community. Several years later, I have continued to develop my craft and unique style. After sharing my pottery on social media, friends started asking me if I was selling my pottery. This is when I decided to start a small business to sell my pottery, and I have been growing it ever since. My husband and daughter are very supportive of my small business, and even my daughter has started making pottery with me. One of my greatest lessons learned is that it’s OK for me to take time to explore passions that I enjoy, and I didn’t have to sacrifice my career or family to grow my pottery small business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a ceramic artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. I love hand-building pottery that is elegant, functional, and adds beauty to any space. My products include ceramic bowls, vases, sculptures, and other items with a distinctive fluttery shape. My most popular item is the flutter bowl, featuring a unique flowing design and a pop of color. I enjoy experimenting with different hand-building techniques, which have expanded the range of my artistry. I am especially proud of my line of sculptures, allowing me to express a different type of creativity.

I am also passionate about the glazing process, as it is pivotal to the final design of each ceramic piece. At my studio, I am known as the “glaze queen” because I’m not afraid to experiment with new glaze combinations, often creating truly unique outcomes.

I enjoy working on custom orders, collaborating with clients to determine the right size, color, and fluttery style for their space. I provide the same level of white-glove customer service to every client, ensuring transparency throughout the process. For example, I recently worked with a client who had a specific request to find a glaze color that would complement her home decor. After she sent me pictures of her home, I was able to determine the right glaze based on her style. I then created a test bowl with a few glaze options, allowing her to narrow down her choice. She loved the final flutter bowl set and even left positive reviews on social media.

As a new small business owner, I’m proud of the skills I’ve honed and excited to see what the future holds.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

It took me a long time to hone my skills and figure out the style of pottery I enjoy making. After experimenting with various techniques and clay types, I found myself drawn to hand-building fluttery, organic-looking shapes. This process wasn’t easy to learn and was frustrating at times. I continued to research different techniques, styles, materials, and processes to strengthen my skillset. I even invested in additional education through an online workshop outside of my studio. As a result of consistently practicing these techniques, I was able to perfect this hand-building method.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are many rewarding aspects of being an artist. First is the community, which is very positive and open to sharing ideas and information. I’ve built amazing friendships, and we are supportive of each other’s work. Secondly, I love the creative aspect of my artistry. The creative process of ceramics brings a new dimension to my life by challenging me and pushing me to learn new skills to grow in my craft. Last but not least, I love bringing joy and excitement to my clients by adding beauty to their homes through my creations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allisonneisspottery.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ALLISON_NEISSPOTTERY/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@allison.neiss.pot