We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Claire McCauley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Claire thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The project that is most meaningful to me is ongoing. When I was 24, I lost my close friend, Jenny Greenberg, unexpectantly. She was bright, funny, smart, compassionate, mischievous, and loved to travel. She was a loud feminist, moved to Ireland for a year, stole salt shakers from every restaurant we went to, and loved to tell white lies to the children she worked with. We had just moved from Madison WI to Chicago together and were excited for the future when her life was cut short. On the first anniversary of her passing, I had made little figures to leave around the city with a little note tied to them, “for anyone who has lost a friend”. I ended up having a few people reach out to me, telling me about their stories of loss, and how this little token made them smile. Since then, I have made hundreds of these little guys. As I make them, it’s a nice way to sit and be with her. I always have one or two with me to leave as I move through this life.

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 have been making and sculpting since I was probably 11 years old. I have always loved and been inspired by small, detailed things. My family is very Catholic, and growing up my grandma would craft Faberge eggs for each milestone. Our baptism, our first communion, confirmation, etc.. She also made them into Christmas ornaments and home decor. I loved the little dioramas she would create inside the eggs. When I was in college, I earned my degree in Illustration, but I adored my ceramics class. When I should have been working on my senior portfolio for my major, I would sneak down to the ceramics studio and continue to play with clay. When I moved to Chicago after school, I got a job at Lillstreet Art Center in Ravenswood, where I was able to spend a lot of my free time in the clay studio, and that is where things took off for me. After a few years of working there, I built my portfolio up enough to begin applying to residencies, and I was accepted into the one at the Morean Center for Clay in Saint Petersburg, Florida. I have been working on my craft here since. I jump between functional work, detailed and elaborately illustrated mugs, and sculptural work that was heavily inspired by my grandmother’s craft.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The connection you can have and create with a stranger. Under the surface of each of the pieces is me, my soul. When someone connects with your work, it’s like letting them see the most vulnerable part of you, and seeing that maybe they see it in themselves as well, and there is this kinship. Connection is what we are here for.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I had known about residencies earlier. As someone who got their degree in Illustration, my initial thought was that you had to find a kind of corporate job that used illustrators, or just crank work from your apartment till you hit it big. Residencies are out there! In all mediums! They are a great resource for folks who have projects in mind who need a jumping off point or continued support.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cmccauley.com
• Instagram: clayremccauley
• Facebook: McCauley Ceramics
• Linkedin: Claire McCauley
• Twitter: clayremccauley
• Other: Bluesky: clayremccauley