Meet Elise Goitia | Ceramicist & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elise Goitia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elise, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always wanted to have my own business. When I was a little kid, I knew I wanted to work for myself. The caveat was, I wanted to work in art. I had a lot of well-meaning adults growing up gently telling me that it wouldn’t be a possibility and to find a back-up plan. I realized later on the trick is to go in without one.

For me, that meant I had to give this thing my all. Expecting it to some degree to fail was not an option. The ability to have something that means so much to me, that can also provide income, is an unfathomable dream. It drives me to keep going, no matter the fear or cost, because it means a long-term investment in myself and my future. It’s easy to start a business and eventually give up. It’s harder to keep trying. Luckily, when you care about something this deeply, that ambition to not only stay afloat but succeed is a necessary fire under one’s butt.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Getting to where I am today has definitely not been easy. When you’re starting out, there’s no wheel in movement; you’re collecting the lumber for the wheel, trying to figure out how to build one when you’ve never done so before, and sorting out the road you’re embarking on. Now, a few years since, that wheel’s built and just barely inching along. That’s an insane success to me. A few years further, my goal is for that wheel to turn and go consistently.

I focus on colorful glazing, political activism, and botanical sculptures that form their own worlds. My work’s meant to transcend your typical pottery into visually appealing and otherworldly pieces. A big goal is to create something that invokes joy every time someone sees it. My bottomless pit of love for making things combined with my need to make that my every-day life makes me insatiable. I’ll forever search for my artistic capacity, because I don’t know if one can ever find it when they want to keep improving. My desire to share the things I make with the world makes me excited for the future.

They’re wholly from my heart and mind, a beautiful representation of the person I strive to be. You can see the work I put into it, and myself. I am my art.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Denver’s full of things to check out! The Lobby’s mimosa tower, the art at Meow Wolf, local markets often. If you want to find local art in Colorado, you’re set, because it’s everywhere. The Arvada Center’s constantly showing new artists, you can party it up Clockwork Orange-style at Milk Bar. Weathervane has delicious sandwiches with a cute upstairs area with a view.

Personally, though, I’d take them to the mountains. You can get into cities everywhere, but there’s something intrinsic to being in nature. It’s in nature that I find a lot of my inspiration for my work, everything from the leaves to the creatures that find their homes there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I need to give a shoutout to the people who’ve supported me along the way! My friends, family and pottery community have all contributed to my drive and success. My mom passed on her artistic love, dad his business acumen, and my community their unending support and encouragement. Everything from opportunities to shelter. I’d never have gotten to where I am today without the people in my life.

Website: https://litaclay.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lita.clay.ceramics/