Looking back at the last 12 months, thinking about all that happened, or didn’t quite make it to the to-do list, can be tricky. It requires just the right head space to not judge what didn’t happen and not glorify what did. There can be a lot of pressure on this time of the year to feel like I’m setting myself up for success, or to use every minute for productivity. I try to stave off the judgmental feelings with a bit of meditation and mindfulness. I am where I am, right here, right now. I am in this moment. The feelings may linger or only last for a minute or two, but it’s the effort that I’m focusing on. Being in the present moment, with what I need to take care of right now, and knowing that the rest will be taken care of when the moment is right. With that said, I spent January planning the launch of our to-be-named core collection, finishing up a sculpture commission, and prepping for my twice yearly trade show.
The timing of the core collection feels perfect-this is the 10th year of business as Lauren HB Studio. I started making slipcast pottery in the spring of 2013 after returning to Cleveland, my hometown. With a sculptural perspective in mind, I set out to create geometric forms I could not achieve easily with other methods. I didn’t know I was launching a business or a collection at the time; I thought I was filling in the gaps while I continued my search for a full time college teaching job. But here I am now, fully self-employed. I never would have seen it coming. I’ll do a deep dive into the core collection next email, but for now, know that this collection is a celebration of ten years of business, of handmade goods that lift our hearts and homes, and hold the space that shapes our lives.
Working on the core collection was great prep for Shoppe Object, a trade show for decor and lifestyle products. A few hundred brands build small storefronts in a big event space, trying to find the right buyers to carry our work. And finding the right buyer requires a deep dive into my business, what I make, and why I make it. A pot is a pot, but it’s also a story, a brand, a philosophy, a livelihood, a gift. We sell objects to our buyers, they sell them in stores, customers bring them home, send them to someone else. They last, they break, they are given away, thrifted, tossed, re-homed. A pot contains multiples. It’s a great gift and responsibility to make objects, and I like to weigh that responsibility and reflect on why I do what I do and make what I make to stay connected to my purpose.
I got home yesterday and I’m anxiously awaiting pictures from the sculpture commission I shipped a week ago. I made 11 large circles in wood, paint, car vinyl, and resin to hang on the stairway of a golf club in Boca Raton, Florida. The circles are a scaled up version of the gilded ceramic circles from Halcyon Blue. Scaling up the size brought with it exciting problems to solve, working in a different material, and considering scale in a new way. I have yet to see them installed- it’s hard to be patient for these things! Here’s a preview of the circles in my studio.
This month we will launch the core collection on February 21, starting a new commission for a hotel in Delaware, and picking our spring products and colors. Watch for an email in the coming weeks about the core collection with links to shop, and a recap email at the beginning of March (MARCH!!!!!!) In the meantime, scoop up a gift card or a piece of pottery for your sweeties before next week.
Thanks always for reading these little musings of mine. xo, Laur