Daily Inspiration: Meet Adriane Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriane Smith.

Hi Adriane, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Creativity has always been part of my life. It’s always been an itch I needed to scratch. I was 5 when my art teacher, aunt Sharon, put me on her lap to throw on the potters wheel. I still remember it. The clay in my little hands brought about a sense of wonder and excitement. It was squishy, messy, and felt a bit out of control- but in a good way. I’ve always loved art. My aunt Sharon has taught an art class for over 30 years, and I’m so blessed to have grown up with her influence. She had an arsenal of art supplies (she still does). My time with her was spent making tiny people out of wire, tie-dyeing all the things, collaging with papers and magazines, paper mache animals and masks, and of course, making many ceramics. We baked, sewed pillows, and collected nature, and I never tired of it. Practicing creativity was like meditation for me. Time didn’t exist in those practices. We were busy creating with our hands, solving problems entirely at the moment.

As an adult (primarily since becoming a mom), I’ve dealt with periodic anxiety and depression. Becoming a parent turned everything upside down for me, and there was no time to stop and remember who I used to be. I was in the “survival mode” state for years. It can be tough as a creative because art therapy isn’t as accessible as going to the gym. When I had my first son 11 years ago, I wanted so badly to work creatively, so I began teaching basic clay workshops at local coffee shops and homes. I lugged clay around back and forth (so carefully), guiding groups on how to use cookie cutters and textured stamps on slabs of wet clay to create small dishes and refrigerator magnets. This wasn’t to make them artists but to give them an outlet for creative expression and stress relief. Since those days, I’ve seen firsthand its impact on people. I am working with clay taps into something ancient in our bodies. It reminds us that we were meant to use our hands as tools. It is incredibly relaxing, and I’ve seen the difference it can make in just 2 hours. I am a healthier and happier person when I can practice creatively.

I believe we all need more opportunities to practice good mental health. We need it to be easy and fun. We need to be untethered from our devices. We need to reconnect with other humans. To use our hands and brains to make and problem-solve. Clay is cheaper than therapy, and humans have been making pottery for thousands of years. There are so many skills and techniques to the ceramics process, so there’s endless opportunity for growth and practice for any skill level. My current goal is to open a facility that provides access to all this, with no prior experience necessary.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any entrepreneur, my journey has been constant change and adaptation. When I started, I was a new mom trying to find a way to work for myself. When I saw how truly valuable my clay workshops were to people and the lack of anything similar to it in the market, I became highly dedicated to making it work, however difficult. Transporting clay in all its various stages, pre-fire and post-fire, is a very fragile business. The ceramics process itself is a very risky one in and of itself due to the high-temperature firing and materials used. Because I didn’t have a facility to host workshops, I’d prepare up to 25 pounds of clay at a time and then carefully transport it to homes, boutiques, and coffee shops for participants. At first, I would handle each piece of pottery made by someone a crazy 9 times from the beginning to the end of the ceramic process. After the workshop, I did all the work on the clay, including firing it twice. I’ve learned many lessons about what it costs (both physically and financially). Now I only handle clay twice, once to prep it and fire/package it. Participants all glaze their work, which is great because they can experience both the making and the surface decoration of the ceramics process.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I started Clay & Company to provide small-batch ceramics and share the ceramics-making process to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. The practice of making ceramics has been so beneficial to me, and sharing it with others as a means for creative wellness is something I’m so proud of. I like to tell people that Clay & Company is the opposite of one of those ‘paint your pottery places because we walk you through how to create a ceramic keepsake from wet clay, something our ancestors did for thousands of years.

So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
Human connection and personal growth matter quite a lot to me. As our society becomes increasingly reliant on and distracted by technology, we need to reconnect to our human-ness. Having gone through my share of anxiety and depression, I feel compelled to share what has helped me immensely with others. I always want to be striving to be the very best version of myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.clayandcompany.net
• Instagram: @clay_and_company
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adrianesmithbrowncreative

Image Credits
Sarah B. Gilliam