Meet Marty Slayden | ceramic artist

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

Hi Marty, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I retired from my career as a full time public school teacher, I took pottery classes at Bemis School of Arts for several years. But when the school closed due to Covid, I resorted to playing with clay in my kitchen and struggling to find ways to fire my work. Then in 2021 my husband and my son built a workshop in our backyard, I bought a kiln and suddenly I had my own pottery studio! Now I love going to my studio almost every day and building whatever crazy thing I feel. The freedom to create without boundaries is so wonderful – sometimes I feel like a kid again!

The only problem was that the objects began to pile up, and my family and friends were tired of receiving them as gifts! I wanted to get rid of things to make room for more things, so I needed to start selling them. The truth is though, I have enough to live comfortably and I really didn’t need the extra money. During the pandemic, I became increasingly concerned with the state of the world and especially income inequality. Some people have so much more than they need, while lots of others can’t even afford a roof over their heads. That’s when it hit me that I could solve two problems at the same time: get rid of pottery while doing some good! Now my “business model” is to sell my pottery for a price I determine, and the buyer gives that amount of money directly to Westside Cares, a wonderful nonprofit helping people on the westside of Colorado Springs with housing, food, clothes, and lots of other important stuff.

I have noticed that I actually sell more work now because it’s fun to give to a good cause and receive a gift for yourself. And I am really proud that over the last four years I have raised almost $10,ooo for charity.

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.
I have enjoyed making things with my hands since I was a child, and I enjoy working with many different mediums, but clay is the one mountain I will never stop climbing. The challenges are infinite! My teachers at Bemis School of Art gave me a solid foundation in all the basics of ceramics. But when I left there, it surprised me to find out that without my teachers telling me what to make, I suddenly found my own creative voice and style. What I love most is handbuilding whimsical figures and decorating them with bright colors. My figures are goofy and quirky, often juxtaposing unexpected images – like a flamingo in a bathtub or a cat driving a taxi. While I admire other artists whose work is realistic and pristine, I am not a perfectionist. The grit that finds its way into my final product is part of the process that you get to see.

The hard part of calling myself an artist is the self-doubt. I constantly struggle to believe that my work is good enough. That is an ongoing theme in my life, so I am grateful to this path because it helps me face that challenge. When I look back over the past four years and I see the improvement in my work as well as the amount of money I have raised for good causes, I do feel proud. I know that many artists are working like crazy just to make enough money to get by, and I applaud them. It’s hard work to be creative and also run a business! I am just super fortunate to stay small, make what I want to make and still feel like my artistic efforts are important.

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.
I love to act as tour guide for my family and friends when they come to visit! The must-see places on my itinerary include Garden of the Gods (of course!), the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Red Rock Canyon Open Space and Monument Valley Park for enjoying the outdoors. Then we would have to hit the Lincoln Center for bread at Nightingale Bakery and a beer at Goatpatch Brewery. We might have to go down to Ivywild School later on for more beer and some food. If we are in the mood for a movie, Roadhouse CInema has really comfy seats as well as good food and more beer! Finally for a nice goodbye dinner, we would go out to eat at the Margarita at Pine Creek.

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?
Jamie Howard, studio manager, Bemis School of Art

Website: https://meslaydenart.com

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