Life & Work with Arnav Reddy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arnav Reddy. 

Hi Arnav, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
When I was younger, I could barely color inside the lines. It felt like art was most definitely not my calling, but that all changed one Christmas when my cousin got me a 48 pack of colored pencils. My parents thought it was kind of random, this sudden obsession with drawing and colored pencils, but it really brought me tons of joy and peace. I would spend days locked away working on a drawing, only coming out to eat meals then quickly retreating back into isolation. The only problem was that it took forever to complete a drawing. Anybody who has used colored pencils knows that the medium requires patience, especially when my goal was hyper-realism. To make matters worse, the busier I got, the larger I wanted to draw. The time commitment was too much for me, and eventually, I got bored. 

I started my ceramics journey in 5th grade, when (with A LOT of assistance) I threw a small chip and dip bowl on the wheel. I loved that the process was much quicker and instead of simply drawing what I saw, I could create something completely out of my own head. The bowl itself was too small to hold even one chip, but the experience was enough to hook me. Throughout middle and high school, I took just about every ceramics course available. It wasn’t until my junior year in high school when I really started taking ceramics seriously. I spent every minute of free time I had in the studio making pots and glazes. It became an addiction. There were weeks when I didn’t eat lunch just so I could spend a little extra time in the studio honing my craft. I primarily make functional ware on the wheel and am beginning to look into selling my work online. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I always came into the studio whenever I felt stressed or overwhelmed, but somedays I had severe artist’s block. It was tough when my coping strategy wouldn’t work, and it made me feel like the one thing that brought me joy was becoming an obstacle. I’ve had to take breaks from ceramics, so I could come back rejuvenated and ready to continue making. Forcing myself to take breaks and focusing on something different for a short period of time was always a difficult task. During my breaks I always tried substituting ceramics with something else: drawing, painting, baking, I even tried my hand at quilting. But nothing ever replaced the joy I felt when sitting at the wheel throwing a pot. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I primarily make functional pottery on the wheel. I try to make things that I would use in my daily life. I always found the balance between functionality and aesthetics a tricky one. I like to think of myself as an analytical artist – focused more on the problem-solving aspect of pottery. I’m still a high school student and a student who is trying to improve as much as I can every day. I recognize and appreciate the imperfections in my pottery, and strive toward correcting them. 

I like to think of my pottery as a time capsule of my past. Each pot is an encapsulation of the skill, mood, and creativity of my former self. Every time I look at an old pot, I am reminded of the memories of when I made it, and keeps me excited for the experiences I am going to have in the future. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
None of my work would be possible without my Ceramics teacher, Ms. Delia Seigenthaler. She’s been my mentor for almost six years now, and without her constant support and assistance I don’t think I would be anywhere near I am today. The thing I appreciated most was how much independence and creative freedom I got in my ceramics journey. I was allowed to make whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and that kept me coming back for so many years. I think I just got super lucky finding an awesome mentor, so I don’t think I can really give any advice. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arnavr_art/