We recently connected with Jess Burbridge and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jess, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

Hindsight being 20/20, I can see that I started my ceramics work exactly when I was supposed to (even though sometimes I wish it could have been earlier so I would be further along). I fell in love with ceramic art in high school and although I did my BFA at the Savannah College of Art and Design, ceramics wasn’t an option for a major at the time. I was very passionate about Great Ape conservation during this time of my life and decided to major in photography so that I could use this art form towards conservation efforts. I spent my twenties working as the Field Communications Officer in Rwanda and DR Congo for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and then as the Communications Director for Gorilla Doctors in Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC. I loved this work deeply and wouldn’t trade this life and work experience for the world. I was able to not only use my skills as a photographer, but also grow my skills in journalism, graphic design, social media and web design. (All of these skillsets have been very helpful in developing my ceramics career too!)

After becoming a mother in my early thirties, it became clear that I would need to take a pause from my field work in Africa. Around this same time, the 2020 pandemic lockdown had me searching for activities to do with my young children at home. Enter my long lost friend: clay! I ordered a 25 pound block of stoneware clay off the internet and my kids and I set to work at the kitchen table building sea coral, anemones and other creatures. Since moving to Boca Raton, Florida in 2016 and getting certified to scuba dive, I had developed a real passion for ocean conservation and aquatic life – hence the ocean-inspired ceramic art. My creations quickly overtook our kitchen and we moved houses during the pandemic so that both my husband and I could have dedicated studio space (he is a professional musician).

For the last several years, I have been working diligently on developing several ceramic art collections. My collections began with coral and tropical-themed porcelain sculptures and evolved into ceramic totems. I had my first gallery show last October at the Hale Gallery in Islamorada and was able to exhibit a collection of this work. I am grateful to have a loyal community of collectors of my ocean-themed work and will begin a commission for a large wall installation at a beach house next month!

I have also been developing a collection of large porcelain sculpted dragons called the Elemental Guardians. Two dragons have sold to collectors, but I have four in the works to exhibit and ultimately hope to have seven to complete the collection. (I am still on the hunt for a local gallery in South Florida to exhibit the dragons, if anyone knows a gallery who might be interested…)

Ultimately, I believe that everything happens as it should and my circuitous route back to ceramics happened as it was supposed to. Even though I didn’t start my ceramic work right out of college, all of my life and work experience has helped me to become a better artist, with the skills to market my work and build my brand.

Jess, 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?

So, for those who I have not met yet… hi! It’s lovely to make your acquaintance and I hope that you will connect with me on Instagram or Facebook, where I share my artists journey!

A little bit about myself… I am a ceramic artist based in Boca Raton, Florida and I work out of my home studio creating porcelain and stoneware sculptures inspired by the ocean, nature and fantasy. Ceramic art is a “slow art” and one that cannot be rushed. A sculpture can take months to complete as I move through the various phases: building the armature, sculpting, slow drying under plastic, bisque firing, glazing, glaze firing, overglaze, luster firing, resin pouring and framing. I frequently finish my works with celadon glazes and mother of pearl luster and sell my work directly to collectors through my website (www.jessburbridge.com). I exhibited a collection of ocean and tropical-themed work at the Hale Gallery in Islamorada, Florida last year and hope to exhibit my collection of porcelain dragon sculptures in South Florida in 2025.

My dragon obsession began when I read Game of Thrones ten years ago while living and working in Rwanda. It was reignited after reading Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing and Iron Flame last December and dragons have continued to captivate me all year – fitting as 2024 is the Year of the Dragon!

I am inspired by dragons as symbols of strength, protection and good luck. Though dragons have been depicted differently in mythology throughout the years, I love to think of these magical creatures as protectors of the innocent and fantastical creatures that ward off evil spirits. I enjoy creating a creature as mighty and powerful as the dragon in porcelain, a material that is both delicate and fragile. I incorporate intricate detailing on each dragon, from the sweeping horns to the textured scales, giving each dragon a unique personality. This collection brings to life the majestic, otherworldly presence of dragons in a form that is both powerful and elegant and I am so excited to exhibit them in 2025.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I saw a video by painter Josie Lewis this week where she reflected on the early years of her career, lamenting that only her “friends and family” were buying her art. But now, years later – friends and family are still buying her art – her circle of friends has just grown a lot! This really resonated with me as each of my collectors has become a dear friend of mine over the last several years. I keep in touch with everyone through social media, texts and catching up over dinner and drinks when possible. My community of collectors has primarily grown through word of mouth and I have been extremely lucky to become connected to such lovely, supportive people.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Some say that ceramic art is for masochists and there have definitely been times when this felt profoundly true to me. Every ceramic artist has a story (or 5) of spending weeks working on a piece only for it to explode in the bisque kiln or crack in the glaze firing. When you open the kiln after a firing and see that your piece has been damaged, it feels like a punch to the stomach. I’ll be honest, it’s hard to want to get back to work after that happens and takes me a day or two to get out of my funk.

But like most things in life, the more you experience something the more resilient you become and the more you learn to improvise and find a way to move forward. In the beginning, if I pulled a cracked piece out of the kiln, it was either kintsugi or bust (and I have many pieces sitting around my studio waiting for their gold fillings!) But now when something goes wrong, I have confidence that I can pivot and rework the piece, knowing that these things are just part of the process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessburbridge.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessburbridgeart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessburbridgeart
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessburbridgeceramics