We were lucky to catch up with Samantha Heligman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Samantha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I feel like my entire career had been one big risk, but the biggest on is coming in about 2 months. I will for the first time be running my studio without a shared studio mate. It’s terrifying, but also terribly exciting. I will be doubling my production space, but at the same time doubling my expenses. I’ve taken calculated risks in the past, and they seem to have always worked out. This time I am hoping as I take this leap into this next to chapter of my studio career, that not only will the net show up, but I will soar!

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?

I started out in ceramics while in Art School at SCAD. I had always wanted to take a wheel throwing class and I had a free elective. It happened just like that, I feel in love. I made it a minor. From there, after graduating I stayed in Savannah for an extra year to live and work at a ceramics studio in town. It was so much fun and I learned a lot through that work trade, but I still wasn’t sure how to turn it into a buisness. A few years later I moved to Austin, Texas. I found a studio to rent a shelf at and found a job working as an assistant for another ceramics artist in town. He had made it and made it work. I learned so much from my mentor in the two years I worked for him. How to find clients, how to charge for wholesale, where to buy boxes in bulk, the things you don’t really think about. I was so educational. From there I found my first studio and about 6 months later Settle was born. My goal when I began was to make work that people would want to use everyday. I wanted to make things that were affordable, but also beautiful. In essence I wanted to make things that I would want in my home. I believe that’s why people like the work. It speaks to simplicity and easy beauty. I don’t really play to trends. I want the work to be timeless, useful and comfortable. I want the work to be used everyday.

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

I believe we all need a little less quantity and a little more quality. I think that is why it’s such a beautiful thing to support an artist or creator. The item you purchase from them are made with care and have soul. It’s not disposable or made in some far off land. The easiest way to support these folks is by going to their openings attending their market and then purchasing from them! Its that simple. If you enjoy hand made things you should buy them.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think as I have moved through my career, especially now that I’m nearing 10 years owning my own buisness, I’ve learned how to make my buisness work for me. One thing that I have come across over and over is people assuming I should want to grow, and grow exponentially . It’s the question I get the most, typically from people who don’t have a creative business. Why don’t you have an assistant?
The short answer, I don’t need one.
The long answer is a bit more involved and it has to do with principals and limitations of my physical process, but it still comes back to the short answer.
During covid, I watched other small businesses lay off their employees and I thought to myself at least I don’t have to be the bearer of bad news to someone like that.
I think this is where a lot of non creatives don’t understand. They dont get why I wouldn’t want to pass off some of my making process so that I could have more free time. They don’t understand why I wouldn’t want to make more pots to make more money. The fact is I don’t need more. I make plenty and I am proud of what I put out into the world. I don’t need to make a million dollars, while becoming disconnected from the work I love making. That trade off just seems counterintuitive.

Contact Info:

• Website: settleceramics.com
• Instagram: @settle_ceramics

Image Credits
Portraits : Sarah Karlin Pottery images : Samantha Heligman