Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jillia English. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jillia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

As of 2022 I have been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work as a ceramic artist. Since I touched clay in high school in 2008, pottery has always been a part of my life.

Art has been my passion since I can remember. I knew I needed to make a living in art somehow. Always painting, drawing, taking summer art camps, and being in every art club ever offered while growing up. I went to college for Graphic Design and later a Master Certificate in Web Design/Development. While I was in my first year of college I worked in a local pottery studio and then I moved to Pittsburgh to attend the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and was in the pottery club and active in their studio on campus. I was continuously always keeping clay in my life no matter where I went.

Out of college I worked various design jobs from email marketing, print design, digital design and web design. During this time I eventually bought a house and slowly started turning my basement into my own pottery studio for fun. Starting with a very old kiln and wheel given to me from my first pottery teacher. Every free chance I got I was in my basement wheel throwing, experimenting with glazes and studying other potters online. I started selling small pieces on Etsy in 2017 for fun. I absolutely loved photographing my work and building out my etsy page. I would sit at my office job and dream of clay all day long. In my mind during those years I never thought pottery could be a full time income for myself. It was just something I loved to do! But because of my dedication to my hobby during those years it built more and more into a small thought I had pop into my mind in Fall of 2021 that maybe my pottery could be so much more for me. By this time I was selling pieces through my own website, and selling at a few local consignment shops. I did a live demo that Fall and sold more pieces then I ever did in one night and that sparked my fire. I was overworked and unfulfilled at my job at that time. I loved being a designer but had issues sitting in an office and home office all day long. I wanted to make things with my hands and have freedom to do what I want whenever I wanted.

In the Fall of 2021 I was getting orders and starting to create pieces I truly loved from wavy mugs to mountain tumblers. It was like I was finally finding myself as a ceramic artist. During this time I started watching a few potters on youtube and how they spent their days working as potters full time. I thought to myself, “Wow, maybe I can really do this full-time.” After selling tons of pottery that Winter of 2021 online and at local shops, I was feeling more and more ready to leave my design job after more mistreatment, overworking, and underpaid. In February 2022 I quit my job. I didn’t have much inventory because I never had enough time with my job to build it up and focus on it. The day after I quit I went and threw as many pieces as I possibly could in my basement. The first few months were a ton of learning curves, and creating as much as I could. I moved my studio twice, from my home, to a downtown business which didn’t work for me, and back home to a new house. I slowly started to find the best ways to sell my pieces, which shops worked best for me, what markets I did the best at, how to do my taxes, how to navigate running my own business, etc. I haven’t stopped learning and I definitely don’t have it all figured out yet! My drive and dedication is what makes me a successful creative today.

I believe everything happens for a reason and at the right time. I wasn’t ready to start a business and didn’t know all the answers or even barely what I was getting into but I took a huge plunge for myself and my happiness and ran with it. It was the best decision of my life.

Jillia, 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?

It all started when clay touched my hands in 2008. I have been passionate about art my entire life, but I fell in love with pottery in my first pottery class at Williamsport High School in 2008. Clay has not left my hands since. In 2022, I left my career as a Graphic/Web Designer and became a full-time Ceramic Artist. I now create every day, sell in a few consignment shops, travel to many markets, sell collections on my website, and am a proud juried artisan for PA Wilds.

My studio is located in Williamsport, PA. I work out of a small private room in my basement. I create the majority of my work on the pottery wheel, but I also love to make ceramic jewelry, home decor, and other pieces through hand-building. I do not use any molds, slip casts, slab rollers, or extruders in my studio, only my two hands and my wheel.

I live to create and to see my work being used in everyday life. I intentionally craft my pieces for your everyday rituals. The beauties of PA and the changing seasons are my inspirations.

My work is ever changing and evolving. I love to create new pieces and designs constantly. From tropical themed to halloween themed. I embrace that and create everything that makes me happy. My work is speckled clay, bright vibrant glazes with modern, nature, boho, and seasonal designs.

My signature style that sets me apart is how I incorporate designs onto my wheel thrown pieces. I create designs in Adobe Illustrator and then I will create a removable vinyl stencil or sticker with my Cricut to place on my bisqueware work. I then glaze through it or on top of it to create designs right on my pottery, whether it is writing, a logo or a shape.

Some personal details about me. I love good coffee, riding my dirt bike, jet skiing the Susquehanna River, running/lifting, home improvement projects, cooking/baking, supporting local, meditating and anything outside on a sunny day.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect to being a full time artist for me is the freedom. The freedom to create anything I want and do what I want on a daily basis. That is true happiness to me and the most rewarding!

I love being able to work on pieces that make me happy and coming up with new designs as often as I want to. I am rarely doing work that doesn’t make me happy, and if it doesn’t make me happy I make a mental note of it and usually will eliminate that in the future for myself. I never work on the same thing constantly and I am always doing lots of different tasks in the studio. I create a happy workplace that works for me!

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

In my view, society can slow down on their Amazon/Shein purchases for every occasion and sometimes swap a few of those purchases with a purchase from a local creative/artist. It might be a few dollars more but it will be a lot more meaningful than an amazon box. Don’t get me wrong, Amazon is great for a lot of things, but try buying your next gift from a local art market or consignment shop! It will positively impact that local artist and be a very sentinel meaningful gift to give!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jilliaceramics.com
• Instagram: @jillia.ceramics
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillia.ceramics/