Meet Heather Kegel | Ceramic Artist & Instructor

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

Hi Heather, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I knew from a very early age that I wanted to pursue a creative career. When looking at colleges, I focused on schools with strong art programs and settled on the University of Denver. As a high school senior, I had already started a portrait photography side gig and assumed my interests would lead me to a career as a photographer. In my last two years at DU, I took a wheel throwing and functional pottery class and knew this was my calling. I loved the process of taking a chunk of clay and transforming it into something usable and functional. I wanted to create objects someone would reach for in their cupboard or adorn their homes with. I bought a wheel and a kiln, and set up a small home studio. I worked for many years after graduation, finding my voice and my style, honing my skills, and eventually took more and more time away from other forms of employment. In August of 2021, I finally quit my last part time job to pursue making porcelain tableware and home decor a full time reality.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I create porcelain tableware and home decor, primarily decorated with thin blue lines. I have worked over the years to design beautiful porcelain pieces that highlight the natural white color of the clay. My blue and white work is a modern take on historical blue and white pottery from Asia and Europe. I keep my work feeling fresh by creating smaller collections throughout the year, in which I allow myself space to explore new forms, ideas, or types of clay and glaze. I draw inspiration for my drawings and glaze colors from the natural world, while also looking to textile design for shapes and textures.

My style of work changed completely (for the better) during the pandemic lockdown of spring 2020. At the time, I was furloughed from two part time jobs, and still had full access to my small studio space. I created all new work with the freedom to play and explore. This was my first real taste of what full self-employment could look like, and I was hooked. I thought my work from that time would be a temporary departure from what I had been making, but it instead catapulted me in a new, more creative and more sellable direction.

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?
To eat: The Truffle Table in the Highlands, the Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder, Humboldt Kitchen & Bar To drink: Lady Jane in the Highlands, Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, Acreage Stem Ciders in Lafayette (because the views of the mountains are amazing)
To see: the holiday lights at the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Art Museum and the Clyfford Still Museum,

A necessary day trip to Nederland with stops at the Carousel of Happiness, The Train Cars Coffee and Kava (the fresh mini donuts are a must), and Crosscut Pizzeria.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I want to credit my ceramics professor at the University of Denver, Mia Mulvey. Mia was instrumental in teaching me how to work with clay, mix glazes, fire kilns, and pay attention to every detail of a pot. While my focus in college was more on sculpture versus functional ware, I have carried many skills, ideas, and techniques that I learned from her into my professional career today.

I would also like to shout out to my old boss, mentor, colleague, studio mate, and friend, Alyssa Westenbroek-Koster of AWK Clayworks. For two years, I worked for and alongside Alyssa in her north Boulder studio. I learned so much about the business side of making and selling ceramics. I also had a professional studio to make my own work. I gained so much confidence from working for her, and it allowed me to better envision my own career.

And lastly, I would like to shout out the Boulder Potters’ Guild and Wheelhouse Clay, which have helped along the way.

Website: www.heatherkegelstudios.com

Instagram: @h.k.studios