Meet Evelyn Snyder

We recently connected with Evelyn Snyder and have shared our conversation below.

Evelyn , so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I think it is important to acknowledge that I am still learning and growing even after over forty years of doing what I do. I work in clay. It is a medium with tens of thousands of years of human experience. It is hard to feel original staring in the face of that long history. I honor that there is tradition in what I do. Imposter syndrome is about an inability to perceive that one’s success is deserved or legitimately achieved. I work against imposter syndrome because it is anxiety about how others see me and I can’t control that. It’s also considering whether I deserve credit for my work. Expressions of art make us feel part of a greater good in a world that is not defined by how other people see me or how much of my success is deserved. Sharing what I know helps others. I don’t claim to know everything. Being an expert does not mean one is omnipotent. When I feel imposter syndrome it motivates me to do some research, work a bit harder and learn something I don’t know. Then I want to share it. In that way I become more genuine to myself and I help other people at the same time. I try not to focus on what is deserved because the world can be a tragically unfair place.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a studio potter and owner of Kaleidoscope Pottery in Easthampton, MA. For over thirty years we’ve been producing one of a kind dinnerware with botanical imprints. Each design comes from the impressions of real plant matter collected locally. We don’t use stamps or reuse leaves so each piece is a portrait of those exact leaves. I’m always looking for new leaves to include,though I do stick to non-endangered and mostly native plants.Our stoneware pottery is particularly durable,and because we build into slump forms, it comes out fairly uniform, but retains the handmade feel.

For the last seven years I’ve also been the ceramics technical assistant in the Department of Art at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. There I advise students and faculty on ceramics materials, process and procedures. I love sharing the knowledge I’ve gained over many years about glazes, clay bodies, and ceramic processes. I also fix equipment and try to keep the studio organized. My favorite part of that job is helping students understand the complex issues that result in being able to gain some control over a process that is influenced by multiple factors.

One particularly interesting project I did recently was working with a UMass alumnae who now makes reproduction Deft tiles. She received a commission for botanical imprinted tiles and I worked with her in the dead of winter. I freeze leaves every year and we were able to use some from my collection. I also collected some winter time botanical items that suited her needs but wouldn’t really work with my process. It was really exciting to be collecting plants in the winter. It gave me a chance to look at another season of material I have been overlooking for many decades I learned a lot about tile production which I hadn’t really done, and she now knows how to do botanical imprints. I’m considering tile production as a new item I could do in a smaller studio should I one day decide to downsize operation.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that have supported me in my journey are:
Experimentation, patience, and resourcefulness.
Even in a material with a very long historical tradition like clay there is a lot of conflicting advice on technical knowledge. Early in the process of learning I began experimenting with glazing and firing techniques. To this day, I learn about things from information offered by experts combined with actual hands-on experience. I believe that is the best way to really know something compared to just knowing about it. Patience has also been a factor. In my success. Clay is a material that can’t be rushed. In my studio we have set days where we make things, and days where work is drying so we work on other parts of the process. I strongly encourage students to refrain from rushing the clay process. Clay changes so rapidly in drying and firings that rushing it is usually counterproductive. There is always something else to do while waiting for parts to dry or a kiln to fire. It is tragic to get a piece all the way through the firing and then break it because the kiln opening was done before the piece could withstand the thermal shock. I think many things are better if not rushed. In choosing to pursue a career that does not offer a lot of financial security, I have had to be resourceful. One of the things I love about clay is that nearly all unused bits can be rehydrated and used to make something new. I also learned to do a lot of my own equipment repairs by spending time watching people I hired work on things and asking them questions. Most people who are experts in things like to talk about what they do, so when you are paying someone for their knowledge they usually appreciate it when you ask questions. If they don’t, you might consider hiring someone else. Being resourceful is about connecting to people and resources. The resources available from talking to professional people are as valuable as things you can buy to fix a problem. That said, it is also resourceful to know when it is better to pay someone else to help with a problem.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Teachers and Mentors–the people who see me for who I am and appreciate my best qualities and are able to work with my worst. Teachers are unique and sharing people. Mentors are people who teach you while you help them. In all instances both parties benefit from the exchange.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All photos by Evelyn Snyder except
Personal Portrait by Kevin Gutting
Large Plate Dark Cucumber photo by Anna Kubasek

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