We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lisa York. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lisa below.

Lisa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents have always been supportive of my nomadic/artistic life, and having many art friends, I am definitely aware of how lucky I am to have such encouraging parents. My parents mantra was “pursue your dream of being an artist until you discover you need to do something else with your life.” So far I have not needed to stop doing art.

I had some untypical adventures in my early twenties.

I completed my undergrad in just three years, in order to reduce the amount of debt I would have, and my parents supported my choice to go and do a year of volunteer work in Tanzania after graduation. I worked with an organization called Neema Crafts (https://www.neemacrafts.com/) and helped them with their recycled glass beads department. I also helped them start up a ceramics program.

I would say this year in Tanzania has been one of the greatest impacts on my aesthetics in art. I fell in love with indigenous wax print designs and use of basic geometric shapes from my time their.

It’s a little ironic that my parents were so comfortable with my year of living primitively in Tanzania, but a couple of years after returning to the states I started an unpaid apprenticeship with a potter named Kevin Crowe. I found free housing living at a previously abandoned school bus in the woods on an acquaintance piece of property. Granted my mother did help me clean up the trash and mold out of the school bus…it was a little grosse at first. The bus had been gutted and had: wooden floors, a very small wood stove, and a tiny shack on top of the bus with a deck. I had running water…I would go run over to the water pump to fill containers….and I had a bathroom. I would rotate digging holes underneath different trees in the woods. I learned so much about making from that apprenticeship, and free housing helped to make it possible to do an unpaid apprenticeship.

Needless to say, I am thankful for my parents, and it has been a very unique journey of being an artist. It is not an easy life, but it definitely has a lot of fun moments.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I am Lisa York. I am an artist that primarily works with clay and wood to produce functional art for the home such as pottery and charcuterie boards.

I am most proud of my pottery sets that have unique wooden trays made for them. Over the last couple of years I have been changing up how I make my work, and I am very excited to announce that we installed solar at my home studio this month and I can now say my pots are fired with clean energy! I also love finding local landscapers that have started a small scale mill to cut trees for lumber rather than just woodchipping the entire trees. My garage is filled with this “green wood” waiting its turn to dry out and become new pieces of art.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

As I mentioned before I make functional pieces of art for the home primarily pottery and charcuterie boards. One of the most rewarding experiences as a functional artist is hearing stories of how those pieces are being used and cherished by their new owners. I love receiving photographs of my art in use from my clients. Whether that is a morning cup of coffee, a plate filled with food by talented chefs, or a vase filled with flowers.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The easiest way to support artists is to choose to buy art directly from artists rather than mass produced objects from box stores.

Yes, it may mean it costs more money, but you will make fewer and more intentional purchases. There have also been occasions where I have bartered my art for other services I have needed.

Or maybe you invest in taking a workshop or class with an artist and explore learning how you are a creative individual.

There are also many ways to support fundraisers that create grants for artists in need.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lisayorkarts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LisaYorkArts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisayorkarts/

Image Credits
Photographs by Lisa York (myself)