Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Craw
Hi Joanna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m Joanna, I’m the one woman show behind Fringe and Fettle Ceramics. I first fell in love with pottery in college. After graduating I was working a ceramics production job and feeling unfulfilled and wanting a change. In 2011 I decided to take a leap and move up to my family’s cabin to do nothing but make pottery for 6 months. I took that time to develop the aesthetic I wanted to bring to the world by playing with the line between form and function and bringing beauty into everyday objects. After that time I moved back to the cities and began selling my work online, in local stores, and at art fairs. Over the past 14 years I’ve refined my skills and my style and am proud of the pieces I create. I’m thankful to have gained a supportive following.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was stressful at the beginning, I didn’t have anyone in my life doing something similar so there was no model to follow, so I just had to figure it out. I was fortunate enough to have supportive parents that let me live in their basement that first year so I could fully commit to my business. I said yes to every opportunity that came my way. I tried online sales, art fairs, galleries, and wholesale. I tried all of it. Some of them were flops, I underestimated how long projects could take and spent months to break even. I had packages lost in the mail that I then had to remake at my own expense, glaze failures, kilns breaking, wind storms at art fairs, and the list goes on. Through doing those I learned that not all avenues suited my business and I had to be more selective about business commitments. I slowly built an online following and local customer base and as those grew I found new ways to grow in my studio. I moved from my parent’s basement to a shared studio space and then to my own studio. That saying about how it takes 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to achieve mastery in a skill really rings true for me. It was doing things over and over and learning and pivoting that really helped me get past those initial challenges.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Fringe and Fettle is all about functional pottery that is elegant and approachable. My pots are meant to be used and well loved. I make bowls to be your favorite bowl because it fits the curve of your palm like no other. Grooves for nice grip and clean edges for good pouring. My food-focused pieces are influenced by my love of cooking, and are made to become an essential piece of your kitchen. I think my pieces have a gentleness to them, a subtleness that is very inviting. I love subtleties and using soft colors and clean lines to bring personality to my pots. They are heirloom quality, and my hope is they will be used for years and years and passed down through generations.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I focus on a combination of online sales and in person art shows, people can find my list of upcoming shows on my website as well as a link to my online shop.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fringeandfettle.com
- Instagram: fringeandfettle
- Facebook: Fringeandfettle
