From Inspiration to the Wheel: How I Develop New Designs

Behind-the-Scenes: Inside my creative process, from inspiration to functional, durable pottery.

Developing new designs is an ongoing journey for me—one that blends inspiration, experimentation, and a lot of intuition. While I don't have a single source of inspiration, my creative process evolves through a mix of external influences, personal moods, and good old trial and error. Let me walk you through how my ideas go from a simple concept to a final ceramic piece, like my recent favorite: the Himalayan Smoke Glazed Bowl.

Finding Inspiration: A Blend of Influences

Inspiration strikes in different ways. Sometimes, I look to Instagram or Pinterest to see what other ceramic artists are up to, or I revisit my older pieces, experimenting with new details—maybe adding texture to a trinket dish or changing the foot on a bowl. For instance, the Riptide Ripple Vase started out as a flat walled vase with no texture. I decided to add bubble-like texture to see how the glaze would interact with the texture. I love this vase and hope to make more like it with even more texture. 

I find it exciting to reimagine my previous work with a new twist.

My inspiration can also be entirely internal. My emotions dictate what ends up on the wheel some days. On tougher days, when I’m in a bad mood, it’s like the clay picks up on that energy. Those pieces often flop, and I toss them into the reclaim bucket. On other days when I’m feeling artistic or creative, that’s when things get interesting! I’m more likely to play with new techniques, textures, or unusual shapes when I’m in a good mood. It’s almost like the clay mirrors how I’m feeling.

Skipping the Sketch: The Flow Comes From the Clay

Unlike some ceramicists who start with a sketch, I tend to skip that step. My process is more intuitive—I follow the clay’s lead. I find my flow as soon as I start centering the clay on the wheel. Centering is one of the hardest parts for me, but it is a crucial step in the process. If the clay isn’t centered, the entire piece will likely flop, crack, or have uneven walls.

That said, I do have an exciting project in mind that will be sketched out—but that’s for another blog post. For now, I let the clay and my hands guide me, and the piece takes shape naturally.

Testing New Designs: From Trinket Dishes to Peppers

Whenever I want to test a new technique or design, I keep it simple. I’ll start with a small test piece, like a trinket dish. When it comes to testing glazes, I actually use test tiles in the shape of peppers! The pepper test tiles are a fun nod to New Mexico, and they’re also incredibly practical. I can hang them up on my glaze shelves to keep track of different combinations.

For example, I tested the peacock glaze technique on a trinket dish before using it on a larger piece. By doing this, I can experiment with colors and techniques on a smaller scale before committing to a bigger project.

The Final Decision: Feedback and Trusting My Gut

Knowing when a design is truly ready can be tricky. While I do trust my gut a lot of the time, I always like to get some feedback from my husband or my mom. My mom has a really artsy eye, and she often sends me pictures of ideas that she thinks I might want to try. Between the two of them, I get valuable perspectives that help me finalize my designs.

Featured Piece: The Himalayan Smoke Glazed Bowl

One piece I’m especially proud of right now is my Himalayan Smoke Glazed Bowl. After testing the glaze combination on one of my pepper tiles, I decided to go for it on a larger piece. I was a bit nervous about how the glazes would interact on a bigger surface, especially since they had a tendency to drip on the test tile. But the risk paid off—the glaze ended up flowing beautifully, creating a wave-like effect on the inside of the bowl.

What makes this bowl particularly special is that it’s not just a decorative piece. Like all of my work, I aim to create functional ceramics that people can actually use in their daily lives. The Himalayan Smoke Glazed Bowl is a perfect example of that balance—it's both a striking work of art and one of my durable ceramic bowls that can handle regular use. Whether it's holding a warm meal or simply displayed on a shelf, it showcases the beauty and functionality of my designs.

My goal with pieces like this is to create handmade pottery bowls for everyday meals. I want people to enjoy using these bowls for everything from a cozy soup to a big salad. There’s something special about holding a bowl that’s been shaped by hand, knowing it was made with care and intention. It connects you not only to your food, but to the craftsmanship behind the piece.

I’d love to hear from you: Please feel free to leave comments, share your thoughts, or ask any questions you may have. For more behind-the-scenes content, follow me on on Instagram and Facebook at Your Sister's Pot Shop. I also encourage you to sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on new pieces and blog posts. Your support means the world to me, and I can’t wait to continue sharing this creative journey with you.

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