Today we’d like to introduce you to Cydney Gibeau
Hi Cydney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a little backstory, during the COVID-19 lockdown, I had just given birth to my second child and was just looking for a way to get out of the house. I was a stay-at-home mom, and student who was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology online. As an introvert who struggles with severe anxiety and depression, I had wanted to focus on branching out and getting out of my comfort zone just a little… This is important for later.
I’ve spent my life in the art community since my grandmother, and mentor was (and still is!) a polymer clay sculptor. I had done some sculpting myself at a young age but didn’t have much talent for it so I focused on drawing, and painting throughout my high school career. I have fond memories in my grandmother’s studio playing with playdough since I was old enough to not eat it.
One medium I hadn’t tried at that point was wheel throwing, so I was going to buy all of the equipment to start from my home… which was very small and with a growing family, not ideal. So, rather than invest a bunch of money, time and energy into something I didn’t know I would like, I looked around for some classes. Queue my first stepping stone.
The MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids has a weekly Open Studio with an experienced instructor to give advice and help, so I booked a class expecting it to be very handheld and structured. I hadn’t done any prior research into how to set up a wheel, or what tools I’d need or anything. So, when I entered the studio with zero experience and didn’t have a clue what to do, I was anxious. Like some stroke of fate, that day was also the most overbooked date for that class. Where there were only 9 wheels for the class, 15 people showed up.
There I was, sitting at a table in shock, in a room that had too many people in it, completely and utterly unprepared. It was incredibly triggering. I stayed for about 3 minutes and then quickly left to panic in my car until the class was over. I remember calling my grandma; to tell her and she asked me if I would go back. She would have respected any answer I gave her, but it got me thinking… In the pursuit of bettering myself, I wouldn’t let the failure of one class stop me.
I booked the next week’s class and spent my free time watching Youtube videos on what tools you need, different techniques and easy items to make. If I were going back, I thought I’d be as prepared as possible to do it on my own.
Sure enough, a week passed, and I found myself right back in the studio. This time, I felt prepared. And the class wasn’t as full either. I set myself up on a pottery wheel, purchased some clay, and began… I frequented the open studio nights after that and kept having the most fun! I made friends with the staff, and others in the class. It was so much fun! I tried everything, constantly looking to find a new way to do things, and new things to do. I threw 10 pounds all at once (which is a lot), I tried throwing half a pound.
About three months later, I’d signed up to rent a shelf in the studio, and practically moved in. I spent every moment I could at the wheel. One evening before the MacRostie closed, one of the staff who’d quickly become my friend, came back to talk to me. The MacRostie Studio Tours were coming up, and she was hosting some artists at her house but had room for one more. She asked if I’d like to be there.
I’d intended to go and see other studios on the studio tours, not work the event for myself. I’d wanted to look at the studios to see what equipment and designs other artists had. With that in mind, I asked if I could think about it. A day later, having not come to an answer myself, I called my grandma who told me that this was the chance of a lifetime. Even still, the thought of standing by a table of my artwork and selling seemed too intimidating for me. But this was all in the pursuit of a better me, right? So, I called my friend and told her I would be there, and she was so excited.
I barely had any inventory to show, so I asked my family if I could have anything I gave them back. Of course, I managed to scrape together enough to have a table. I picked myself up by the bootstraps and did the show… The MAGIC! The most fantastic people came through, and plenty of other artists complimented my work! Many were shocked that I’d only been doing pottery for three months. I felt like I was floating!
Such a resounding success, and one that was needed. I signed up for another show a couple months later. I filed business paperwork and officially established myself as Celadon Garden Pottery. Here I am going on my third year of pottery and business owning. Still scared but doing it anyway.
In 2023, our family bought a new house, one with the perfect space for a studio. Which we just finished renovating this summer. I now have three pottery wheels, two kilns, a pugmill used for recycling clay, and all the tools I could need to do what I love. And I couldn’t be happier.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a journey. I’ve really struggled with the social aspect. Specifically shows where I make the most of the money. As someone who struggles with severe anxiety and depression. I value my alone time to charge before big events. Then, after the event, I need even more time to recover. I chronically overthink every interaction and am hard on myself about seeming abnormal.
I go through highs and lows too where I just don’t have the energy to deal with things. I find I go through phases of work. Where I’ll get more social and excited to be social after I’ve finished a big batch of work. Especially if it’s work that turned out well.
I try to get everything down to a science and not force things to happen if it doesn’t feel right. I enjoy getting to experiment with different things and new techniques, but always doing things differently creates a lack of consistency. Which can be difficult.
I challenged myself to make a dinner set, and lost at least two batches of plates to the kiln because the drying rate was different than bowls or cups. Or attempting to rush the process also creates stress, and mistakes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Celadon Garden Pottery?
Celadon Garden Pottery is a pottery business, where I specialize in wheel thrown ceramics. Especially dinnerware and home decor. Using advanced techniques, I make luminaries, which are small incense warmers. My mugs are specially designed to be the most functional, yet still aesthetically pleasing.
I’m most proud of our most recent development which is silk screening. Using a cutting machine, I cut designs into vinyl which gets ironed on to a piece of silk. Underglaze passes through the silk, but not the vinyl so I can create all kinds of designs and put them on the pottery using rice paper called underglaze transfers.
I love working with individuals and businesses making personalized items to meet their needs. Dinner sets, logoed merchandise, and so much more.
Not only do I take orders for custom works, but I also enjoy teaching others the art. I hope to pursue doing more classes in the Grand Rapids community in my studio and others businesses. I also offer private lessons which are available to book on my website.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I have my own website celadongardenpottery.com, as well as an etsy store. These are the best places to find my in stock or general items. However, I’m almost always available by email if something a little more special is needed.
My facebook and instagram accounts are updated frequently as well, for behind the scenes, what’s coming next, and sales posts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://celadongardenpottery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celadongardenpottery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085859906466
- Other: https://celadongardenpottery.etsy.com
