Meet Kalin Chancey | Dental Hygienist & Ceramicist

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

Hi Kalin, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
My happiness means everything to me because I have learned how special it is, and how meaningful peace is. What makes me happy is being true to myself and doing what is right for me, even if it goes against the grain. What is right for me is first and foremost, my husband and kids. They are my favorite people and I love that they put up with me and my antics with their daily lives and vacations. I also love my job; I am a Dental Hygienist. It makes me so happy to dig in the calculus canyons and to help get people healthy. Outside of work I love being outside, in nature, and in the quiet. I do not have to be around people, or always talking, often the quiet is all I need, but then I will change it up with continuous, contagious laughter and loud music; thats just me.

Over my life I have always been into the arts, dance, drawing, painting, music, but the last two years I have started creating ceramics and have found such a love for it. Along with the skill and community it has brought me I am developing a small career out of it. This has been such a wonderful, happy journey that has continued to uplift me and keep me and my individuality alive and thriving while exploring an artist side that is exploding into the community.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I try to create art that captures you and gives a sense of beauty with carisma, and calmness. It grabs your attention, but calms you. I am proud that I have found an art medium I can completely divulge myself into and see myself just continuing with it. With ceramics I can creative whatever I desire out of the clay, but also from this, can became the drawer, the painter, the architect, the photographer; it is amazing how it ends up encompassing everything, yet it is still one. My artistic ability has been present since I was a young child, but the ceramic interest and education started two years ago at Arapahoe Community College and today my pieces are in shows, sold in multiple Boutiques in Colorado, and now also in Georgia. My husband and I are in the process of converting part of our basement into a home studio to make getting more convenient. The road to having something I love becoming my career has been a transition. I have been a dental hygienist, Air force wife, and mother, and now with retirement, kids graduating, everything is changing. I am at a point where I have freedom to focus on creating. My biggest challenge was being patient, and staying focused on what needed to be done before I really dove into something I knew I could really devote myself to. The dedication and commitment needed to progress in anything will determine how far you go, and I feel this is somewhere in the art world I was always meant to be and am trying to make up for the lost time in some way, but with that challenge I am showing the world my eagerness and love for what I do and what I have to offer, which is my love, shown through my art.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The day would start off at Izzo’s Bakery in Central Market, get some of their crazy crescents and explore the Rhino district and make our way across the city with stops at shops and bars along the way, showing them a day in the heart of the city, finishing the day at Linger, right next to Little Man ice cream. The next day we would go up to Boulder and hike the flat Irons in the morning, come back down and have brunch at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. Afterwards we would go Long’s Iris farm where we would get to pick our own iris flower bulbs. The third day would be a we head over to Littleton. We would stop at Dirt coffee, then walk up and down Littleton main street visiting all the shops like Willow & Tullaire and True Find, with lunch at any of the fabulous restaurants, but making sure to go have dessert at Born to bake. In the afternoon we would go to one of the many littleton parks and also go see the fabulous Christmas store St. Nicks, with dinner at Cencalli Taqeria, one of my absolute favorites! The next day we would get up to Evergreen and depending on the weather, hiking, paddle boarding, or cozy cabin day, but just enjoying the day outside the city up in nature and Colorado’s true beauty, but making sure to stop at Sasquatch donuts in Bailey on the way and seeing the little museum they have, finishing the day down in town at Nona’s Italian Bistro. With a final day is on a weekend, we would spend the morning going to one or many of Denvers fabulous farmer s markets and loading up on breads, vegetables, chilis, and all the local fabulous finds, then going home and creating dishes to share and enjoy together.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout is dedicated to my family. Together we are a five part working system. No matter how tired we are, we all keep working together to keep each other going, keep each other strong, and keep each other together as a family. I am forever grateful for the life we have together and the bond we have created within our family that will hopefully just keep us together and working forever. Special thanks to my husband, Michael, who is my other half. We have risen from nothing into a married couple neither of us saw turning into and we can still be ourselves that we fell in love with. Special thanks to all the Colorado Dental Hygiene Association for all they do to keep hygienists here in Colorado on top of the countries list for hygiene leaders! And a heart felt shoutout to Katie Caron, Vicky Smith, Emilia Ealom and Jonah Sturkey-Thomas at Arapahoe community college who have seen my ambition and eagerness to take risks and encourage and help me expand my own creativity. Without this group of wonderful people my advancement into ceramics would not be near at all what is has become.

Instagram: @Kalin_bird