We were lucky to catch up with Kelly Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kelly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
My first introduction to ceramics was while finishing up a studio art degree at the University of Central Florida. I was mainly focused on illustration there and learning any medium that would allow me to illustrate my designs, art books, print making, drawing etc. I happened to sign up for a wheel throwing class toward the end of my time there simply to fill needed credit hours and I really enjoyed it. I ended up taking an advanced wheel throwing class my final semester and had so many ideas for things I wanted to make that I knew I would need to find a way to continue after school was finished. So that’s what I did! I found a local studio and signed up for open studio hours as soon as I could. I’ve been a creative for as long as I can remember and I’ve always been a maker of some kind, so I feel that I’ve always had the essential skills needed to be a ceramic maker. My time in school gave me the basic knowledge to make ceramics, but I feel that the skills needed are a creative mind and the ability to think outside the box. So much learning takes place through the actual act of making so what I learned in my time at UCF was only the tip of the iceberg.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Kelly Evans and I am a visual artist focusing on ceramic art at the moment. I have a small studio called Invisible Twin Studio located in Orlando Florida. I create one of a kind ceramic pieces both decorative and functional. I love combining different media with my clay works, including cotton and raffia fibers and found drift wood pieces. I definitely cater to the unique collectors out there. I like to say I make “Happy Clay Wares for the Eclectic Home”! I take a lot of pride in knowing that when someone purchases ceramics from me they have a one of a kind unique piece they won’t see anywhere else.
I currently sell through my website invisibletwinstudio.com and often participate in makers markets throughout the year.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I really like this question because I think that we often don’t realize how essential creatives are to everything we see, buy, hear, and even do in our daily lives! As an artist one of the most difficult things to do is putting a monetary value on your work, but so essential to make sure you are pricing it according to the amount of work you put in to making it. Any handmade item takes a great amount of skill and time to make and should be priced accordingly. So hands down I think the best way to support artists and creatives is to shop with them! Let them know how much you appreciate and admire there work! I love to support my fellow makers by shopping their goods whenever I can.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
There are often so many preconceived notions about artists and creatives and I for sure had a few of my own. I resisted going to college for art for a long time because I thought it would be a waste of time or that I could never make a career out of art. I started out in general studies, then flopped around with taking some graphic design classes before taking a summer break that turned into a 10 year hiatus from college. During that time I waited tables, went to cosmetology school and worked as a stylist for a few years. I was avoiding my creative side and hating every minute of it! I finally decided to throw out all those preconceptions and create my own path. I couldn’t turn off my creative drive so I decided to stop fighting it and just take the plunge. After a 10 year break I returned to UCF. Going back to school was essential to my journey as an artist and honestly one of the best things I did for my creative self esteem.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.invisibletwinstudio.com
- Instagram: @invisibletwinstudio