Meet Jamie Bates

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamie Bates a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I grew up in the Midwest to a lower middle class family. The “Midwestern work ethic” was drilled into me. It’s characterized by hard work, perseverance, a strong belief in self-reliance, and a sense of community and helping others. This was modeled for me growing up as I watched my Dad do construction work for friends and family and on top of his full time job and my mother ran a daycare from our home.

On the flip side, spite plays a small but important role in crafting my work ethic. 😂 Despite my perceived “success”, I’’ve been told “no” more times I can count and that rejection can sometimes motivate me to prove myself. My favorite little motto is “I can do all things through spite that strengthens me.”

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a ceramic sculptor and educator whose work centers around identity, mental landscapes, and the emotional residue we carry through life. Through clay, I create large-scale self-portraits and vignettes that examine the interplay between vulnerability and strength, often drawing from personal experience, psychology, mythology, and queer identity. My goal is to make space for the complex, the tender, and the uncomfortable—giving physical form to emotions that often go unseen.

What excites me most about my practice is its power to connect. There’s something raw and universal in exploring the self—when we confront our inner world through art, we invite others to do the same. I work primarily in ceramics, a medium I love for its tactile immediacy and permanence. Each piece I make is both a mirror and a monument.

Alongside my studio practice, I teach sculpture and lead workshops focused on self-portraiture and emotional storytelling through clay. Teaching allows me to build community around the transformative potential of art and help others tap into their own visual language.

Right now, I’m particularly excited about launches a slip cast line of function pottery for which I have been raising funds to support. I have an upcoming workshop I’m leading called Sculpting the Self at Peters Valley School of Craft in August. I’m also preparing for several exhibitions including a figurative ceramics exhibition held at Baltimore Clay Works in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to creating my functional work, I am continuing a body of sculptural work that explores the intersection of Jungian archetypes, witchcraft, and queer experience.

Ultimately, my work is about making the invisible visible. Whether it’s grief, joy, anxiety, or transformation, I’m interested in giving those internal experiences a place to live—outside the body, in clay, where they can be witnessed.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three most impactful elements in my journey have been vulnerability, persistence, and curiosity.

Vulnerability has been foundational—both in my artwork and in how I move through the world as an artist. My practice often centers around deeply personal subject matter, and allowing myself to be seen through that work has helped me connect with others on a meaningful level. My workshops often become a safe place for folks to share their experiences and feelings. For those just starting out, I’d encourage you to lean into the parts of your story that feel risky to share. That’s often where the power is. Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s how we build authenticity and resonance.

Persistence has been crucial. The art world can be slow-moving and full of rejection, and making a life in the arts often means showing up even when it feels like no one is watching. I’ve learned that progress isn’t always visible right away, but consistency compounds. Keep making, keep applying, keep refining your voice. Your body of work and your community will grow if you give it time.

Lastly, curiosity keeps everything alive. Staying curious—about other artists, new materials, old myths, psychology, or even just your own reactions to things—has helped me evolve. I’m always asking questions and allowing myself space to experiment, fail, and explore ideas that don’t have clear answers. For those early in their path, I recommend chasing the questions that won’t leave you alone. Let your curiosity guide your research, your practice, and your growth. It’ll lead you somewhere meaningful, even if you don’t know where yet.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The number one challenge I’m currently facing is finding the time and financial resources to allow my practice and business to grow in the ways I envision. Like many independent artists, I wear a lot of hats—studio work, teaching, planning workshops, marketing, admin—and it can be difficult to sustain momentum when both time and funding are limited.

To address this, I’ve started actively fundraising and seeking community support. I’m in the early stages of launching a Patreon as a way to build a sustainable foundation for my practice. Through it, I plan to offer behind-the-scenes access to my process, early access to new work, and exclusive content like studio updates, Q&As, and digital downloads. My goal is to create a more reciprocal relationship with my audience—one that allows folks to support my work while also receiving something meaningful in return.

In the meantime, I’m also applying for grants, developing workshop offerings, and streamlining the way I sell and share my work. It’s a balancing act, but I’m committed to building a sustainable model that supports both my creative vision and the community around it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jamiembates.com
• Instagram: @jamiebatesisalone
• Facebook: Jamie Bates