#howiAMACO Insta Feature - Q&A with Katie Marks
Katie Marks
Instagram: @anotherseattleartist
Website: www.etsy.com/shop/silverliningceramics
Colors, crystals, and ice cream - oh my! Katie Marks is a pottery powerhouse. People trip over themselves to purchase her work, buying out her Etsy shop faster than she can keep it updated and we can't blame them. We're totally head over heels for her galactic aesthetic and gold lustre accents. Katie's colors seem to melt together, perfectly mirroring the way her slip decoration appears to drip off her pieces and makes us wonder if her mugs or her ice cream cones might melt right through our fingers! Her quirky combination of thrown and hand-constructed forms allow Katie to mimic the organic and structural shapes of the earth that inspires her. Whether sculptural or functional, her creativity and love of color shines through all of her work. Whatever she decides to dish out, we are here for it!
How did you come to be interested in working with clay?
I've been working with clay my whole life. From playdough as a toddler to polymer as a kid and then finally discovering ceramics as a young adult. I took one beginning throwing class at my local community college when I was 18 and I was hooked! It's such a wonderful material that has spoken to my imagination for as long as I can remember.
What inspires your work?
I am inspired by my emotional response to the natural world. I look at colors and textures in my surroundings and try to project the way they make me feel into the work that I create. The softness of a sunset, the wonder of a perfectly formed crystal, the joy of bright colors.
What’s your favorite thing about clay?
Quite literally almost everything! If I had to pick I would say it's the endless possibilities. I love that if I or anyone else can dream it up clay will allow the idea to become a reality. It's ability to take on so many different forms and ideas is magical to me. I love that I can take a lump of dirt and transform it into something that only existed inside my head.
What has been the most challenging part of pursuing ceramics?
For me, the most challenging part has been running the business side of things. I work in clay full time. Not only am I making all of my pieces, I also do all of my own promotion, I run my online shop, I (attempt) to do the book keeping, packing and shipping, etc… the creative side is what comes naturally to me but I'm a one woman show so finding that balance can be challenging.
Which AMACO products do you always find yourself going back to? How do these products speak to your work?
I absolutely LOVE the Celedon series. I love that I can mix them to create custom colors! The color palette I can create from these glazes really enhance the look I am going for.
If you weren't an artist, what would you be?
I'd be a geologist!
If you could hop on a plane right now and go anywhere, where would you go and why?
Well I'm hopping on a plane to spend two weeks in England and France in about 4 days! So I would just hop on it sooner :) It's a much needed break and hopefully an inspiration trip! [Sidenote: We got to follow along with Katie on her Instagram as she explored Europe and it certainly seemed like the break and round of inspiration she was hoping for!]
What's your favorite food?
Nectarines!
What element do you most closely identify with?
Water!