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

Hi Hailey, thanks for joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

In December 2020, I started a pottery Instagram profile to keep track of my favorite pieces and to document the results of my glaze experiments. My first customer was my cousin, Elly. She saw my posts and asked if one was for sale. My studio membership was $60 per month so I decided to try and use Instagram to sell $60 worth of stuff every month, just to cover the cost. It was kind of embarrassing at first. I felt like my friends and family were buying my pottery to be nice to me, not because they really wanted it. I started to get excited when people that didn’t know me began to show interest in my work. I knew they weren’t doing it for me, but because they actually liked what I was making. I had never even considered the idea that strangers would love my art enough to buy it, so it opened up all kinds of possibilities for the future

Hailey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I took my first pottery class when I was 13 and was instantly hooked. I continued taking classes for the next 5 years of school from two incredible teachers who supported all my crazy ideas. After high school, I received a scholarship for my ceramics and continued taking classes during my first year of college. When I changed my major, I thought that part of my life was over. I no longer had access to a studio and all the expensive equipment that I needed to continue with my pottery. Years later, as a birthday gift, my sweet husband bought me a membership to a local studio that included the use of their wheels and kilns. I learned that you don’t need a whole fancy studio to do what you love. I began buying things piece by piece and building my own little setup.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part is seeing people love and cherish your art. So much time and love goes into each individual piece, they all feel like little parts of my heart. To see people excited about something that I created out of a ball of mud is an incredible feeling.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During my last year of college, this pottery business was my main source of income. I was excited about the idea of turning it into a full-time job. After graduating, however, I had to slow down a bit instead. I currently work for an environmental consulting company and continue my pottery at night and on weekends. I still hope to pursue it full-time in the next few years, but for now, I plan to focus on being creative and expanding my skills rather than being in full production mode. My Etsy shop will be filled with unique pieces that are important to me rather than hundreds of white vases, and I think that is more exciting anyways.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HaileySuePottery
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/haileysuepottery
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haileysuepottery