We were lucky to catch up with Katie Lebel recently and have shared our conversation below.
Katie, appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
I think one of the most unexpected challenges i’ve noticed in my journey as an artist is constantly feeling like I have to say yes to every creative opportunity and invitation. I think artists in our society are trained to say yes out of scarcity- the unfortunate reality is that artists are not paid enough… and that can lend to this idea that we must all say yes to any opportunity that comes our way, even if it doesn’t feel aligned or we don’t feel passionate about it… But what I’m learning is that what we say no to makes room for what we say yes to. You won’t have the space for opportunities that feel life giving to show up if you don’t say no sometimes… it’s incredibly liberating to kindly say no to that commission or whatever it may be… but tuning into your inner landscape and asking yourself in a really honest way if an opportunity will feed your spirit- i really think this is the way forward in the creative world- to collectively be more honest about what gives us life so we can continue to share from an authentic place…
Katie, 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?
My name is Katie Lebel and I am a ceramic artist/ art educator living in Atlanta, ga. I have been doing ceramics for the last 7 or 8 years even though I like to explore other mediums as well. I got immersed into ceramics by teaching it to young children… they really inspired me to experiment along side them with their naturally curious and playful nature and this felt like a newfound freedom as far as mediums go for me to create with.
I specialize in wonky but functional ceramic pieces. For example, I am working on large planters for Glad & Young – a amazingly fun and colorful leather shop in ponce city market- but instead of being your basic terra cotta planter, they are going to be a more three dimensional/ colorful and sculptural take on this more traditional vessel. Basically, what I like to do is take something that is simple that you encounter every day and make it more fun.
Problems that I face for commissioned pieces are helping clients articulate their ideas into tangible forms, while staying true to my creative voice and vision. What I think sets me apart from other artists is that I like to embrace positivity and I like to sneak in as much fun as I can with my ceramics.
The artwork that I am most proud of are some of my larger scale sculptural works because they required me to step out of my comfort zone… they showed me the deeper personality traits of clay as a medium, and it helped me feel more comfortable with it…
The main thing that I want everyone who follows my work to know is that I’m here to have fun and I think you should have fun too.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The creative mission driving my creative journey is to celebrate life.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Society can best support artists by paying them more to do their work. It would be ideal if we collectively treated artists as foundational members of society that contribute to culture. As well as, valuing their expression and providing more job opportunities so working artists can make a livable wage.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katielebel.com
- Instagram: @katielebelmakes
- Other: astral projection