Students

Making your mark in mark-making

After falling in love with clay at the age of 12 Katie finally went to art school in her mid 20s bursting with a hunger for experimentation, and graduated with a degree in ceramics from Camberwell College of Art in 1997. She is now self-employed as a sole trader and has a studio in central London: being her own boss from designing, creating and making to marketing and managing accounts. With architecture and natural history being predominant themes Katie throws designer tableware then draws the London skyline into the surface of the pots she makes.

Katie's outlets are national museum shops and galleries, and selling direct in her studio to private clients gained over the past years: as well as continuing her established London Skyline range she works to commission for private and corporate clients. She uses three websites for online selling that make up a small percentage of her business as well as having her own online portfolio site. Craft fairs play an important role in her work; she currently has Ceramics in the City on the horizon at the Geffrye Museum, London in September.

www.katieadamsceramics.com

What have you done since graduating in 1997?
A lot of things! Most of the time I had access to a studio whilst working a variety of jobs and being terrified to venture anywhere near becoming a professional potter / ceramist. I worked in a cinema, sold health and safety training courses, waited on tables, was an auxiliary nurse with the idea of training to work in war zones, travelled around Asia and the Americas, recorded a project for Save the Children and worked for a Charity for Women who've been abused.

This has been a long route into finding my right to work in clay: I wanted to work as an artist, with complete freedom and to be totally submerged. I am still working towards this: It doesn't come easily for me but the feeling is still there... I'm uncovering it bit by bit.

Did you stay in London after completing your studies? Why do you think you stayed?
Yes I love London, I've enjoyed many cities but feel at home here: it's vibrating with life, history and cultures. Architectural surroundings inspire my work and London blossoms with it. The museums and galleries the theatres and cinemas, the size, the bustle, the Thames, the infinite stories, the noise and lights, all are cutting edge and inspiration for my work. My studios, Cockpit Arts, are heavily subsidised enabling me to be in the centre of the city, this is important financially and for the 1-2-1 teaching that I do. There's also a great bunch of creative people here, important for feedback and information sharing. London is not essential for my business to work; it's about contentment with my living environment.

As unlikely as they may be, who would you say has given you inspiration and drive since graduating and finding your way as a full time ceramicist?
My therapist who told me that my work can be my bliss.
Kids in India who made pots exquisitely by the side of the road
Eminem who unashamedly expresses everything that needs to come out
Ewen Henderson the ceramicst who suggested I listen to Bartok whilst making
My friend and illustrator who always enthused about my mark making
Old dying people in hospital who told me amazing stories of their life

What is the most rewarding thing you have done since completing your degree at Camberwell that you think is relevant to students now but is not necessarily arts related?
The cliché is travelling and it is an incredible experience: do it whatever way you want but make sure it's the way you want to do it, not led by others. Whether it's a weekend at a time or 2 years all at once, seeing feeling smelling other cultures and their histories can blow your mind and take you to a freer place opening you to unexpected revelations and inspirations.

What is the worst job you have done since graduating, what is the best thing you took from this to use in another role?
Definitely my sales job, I hated it.  But communicating with people on every level in business has been very useful - establishing and developing business relationships - and very importantly this job grounded me in the everyday 'real' world of making a living.

Is there anything you can think of that students should look out for and make the most of whilst they're still studying, before they have to start looking for it in other places!
Make the most of visiting tutors and practicing professional tutors at college, pick their brains for advice and information. Their insights have stayed with me since college and golden nuggets continue to return to me years later.

Whilst you were studying, what advice or support did you feel was missing?
How to make a living from my art: I had no idea and was given no clue at Camberwell in the 90's.

Would you recommend anything to people studying creative degrees now, in light of this absence?
What I recommend is finding work experience: it's hard but can be worthwhile, but when you approach people really consider them - I've received huge emails with umpteen attachments, we don't have time and it's not necessary, make it short and relevant. You could also try an apprenticeship there are not too many around but it is possible. Also, if you're looking for studios, look for something comprehensive with marketing and business support.

Other info or advice I can provide that is relevant to my profession and to students?
Keep in tune with whatever your field might be. Maintain awareness of who's out there, where they show and sell, and visit as many venues and fairs as you can to get a feel of how and where you fit in - or how and where you want to fit in.

Fight to uncover your integrity and continually question where you are, where you are going and if this is where you want to go...

Look out for other Professional profiles upcoming on Degrees unedited: they are intended as informative yet short pieces of content for you to make use of and gain inspiration from so let me know if they are working.

richard.taylor@a-n.co.uk »

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Artist and coordinator of ‘People and Place’, Maria Bojanowska tells of the toils of volunteering and coming up trumps (in the space of a year). Read on »

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Prospective professional action: Sarah Rowles tells about the Q-Art adventure, taking things into her own hands to produce London's autonomous art school. Read on »

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Richard Taylor

Richard is an artist/writer living in Edinburgh and online editor on behalf of a-n The Artists Information Company, for the Degrees unedited and Students community sites.

www.rich-taylor.co.uk

First published: a-n.co.uk August 2009