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

Alright, Josi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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?

The first time someone bought my pottery was in 2020. I moved back to Zionsville, Indiana when my senior year of college was canceled due to Covid-19. A few months after being cooped up in the house, my childhood pottery teacher asked me if I wanted to mix recycled clay in exchange for studio time. I immediately jumped at the opportunity. It was a chance for me to have a quiet space outside of the house and use the wheel.

I started posting my clay process on my Instagram and a friend asked if she could buy some pieces. I didn’t think they were worth much, so she got a pretty sweet deal. I was just honored she was willing to pay anything at all. Eventually, more people started messaging me, so I asked my teacher if I should start selling my work. She was very supportive and helped me establish realistic pricing. Then, I designed a simple website to display my work. I continue handling all of the orders manually and speak directly with every customer (all of whom are friends/family).  

I’ve gotta say though, one of my coolest orders was a trade. My friend Anna Wade is a fashion designer who requested sushi platters, so I asked her if she could embroider converse in exchange for pottery. She now has 4 sushi platters and I have a pair of white platform converse with sunflowers!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

My mom signed me up for pottery camps at SullivanMunce when I was little and I loved them! I remember really enjoying getting my hands dirty and glazing my non-symmetrical bowls.

In high school I volunteered at the same museum where I took classes and really bonded with my teacher Soyong. She taught me how to mix clay, clean the studio, prepare for classes, and build connections with other artists. Although I wasn’t actively taking classes, that time was very valuable because I got to see everything that goes into running a studio.

In college I wasn’t able to pursue pottery, but I spent one summer as a teaching assistant with Soyong. I helped kids make pinch pots, bowls, and animal sculptures. After that summer, I realized that teaching was not in my future, but it did make me notice how much I missed clay.

During Covid-19, pottery actually became a stress-reliever and a form of therapy I never knew I needed. Whether I was in the studio with others or alone, I found myself showing up more and more. I spent over a year with Soyong and eventually joined adult classes. When I decided to move to Charleston, South Carolina I was sad to leave all my pottery friends but made it my mission to find another studio close to my new home.

I currently volunteer and work out of Clay Terrace Studio in Charleston, SC. I mix clay for classes and practice throwing on the wheel. Some work I keep for myself, others I give away, trade and/or sell on my site. It’s a very small business but it’s so exciting seeing people use my dishes for their dinner parties!

Looking back, I should have taken more classes throughout high school and college so that I could have been a more advanced potter, but for me, it’s more about how the process calms me, so I don’t mind the slower pace. I definitely wouldn’t consider myself a master ceramicist and I always ask my teacher Renee for help, but little by little I’m improving.  

Although I don’t sell hundreds of pieces, I think it’s so special knowing that my friends and family have something of mine in their homes. Pottery is one of my many side hustles and I dedicate time to it so I can gain more entrepreneurial skills, create functional art, and connect with other artists.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

Something really rewarding about being a foodie and ceramicist is collaborating with other artists. I have a very talented friend who is a photographer, so sometimes we get together to shoot my pottery. Martin has a beautiful gift and it’s such an honor to work with her.

Our photoshoots consist of a carefully crafted playlist, hand modeling, and food styling. Martin is in charge of the styling and photography and I’m in the kitchen cooking or baking something for us to share. Our hope is to one day team up in another country and have a photoshoot filled with endless foods and breathtaking landscapes. 

Have you ever had to pivot?

I studied anthropology and Spanish in college so after graduation I was planning to work at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C., but with Covid-19 I lost the job and had to pivot. After months of working as a tutor, caterer, and nanny, I finally landed a job with Woodside Ventures as a project manager. I was hired with no experience and they patiently continue teaching me the world of digital marketing. It’s been almost two years and I couldn’t have asked for a better job. I work remotely and have so much flexibility with my schedule so I have the privilege of traveling often in the U.S. and around Europe. I’m not sure where I’ll go next but I’m certain it will involve travel, art, and food.

Contact Info:

• Website: travel-art-food.com
• Instagram: travel.art.food
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josi-miller/

Image Credits
Martin Allison https://www.martin-allison.com/