Meet Jacey Mismash

We were lucky to catch up with Jacey Mismash recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jacey, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I always want to try something new– I find inspiration in the smallest things, especially in the “imperfections.” For example, I broke a piece off a bowl I was trimming, and I found it broke in the shape of a small door, one you might see in a “toad house” made by little kids in their family garden.

A few hours later, I found myself adding new clay to what used to be the bottom of the bowl. I sat tediously carving the deep cracks of tree bark, sculpting mushroom stairs and flower pillows. What was about to be thrown in the recycle mix had suddenly become one of my favorite pieces.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’ve always been one to try new things.

I’ve started and stalled on several hobbies– not due to lack of interest, but mainly a lack of time and energy to really commit to anything outside of school and work. While dedicating time to bettering my education and making a living, I found myself in a cyclical way of living with little space for creative expression. Writing, the first way I learned to truly express my creativity, had become more of a tool than a canvas.

That’s when I knew it was time for a change.

I never thought I’d end up in a pottery studio 2-4 times a week, making custom orders and preparing for markets every few months– I only searched for local classes as a way to put my creativity into a new medium. Not only did I absolutely love ceramics, but I wanted to share my love for it with others. This is how Jacey’s Pottery Shelf came to be.

Every piece I make sits at the intersection of artistry and function. They are playful, unique, and 100% handmade. While I am taking a break from markets until the late spring/early summer, my goal for early 2025 is to get my own website for Jacey’s Pottery Shelf up and running.

In addition to my new venture into the world of ceramics, I still continue to write poetry and prose (albeit mostly for myself) but one day I hope to put my writing into a chapbook, to share my experiences and my writing with others.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Perseverance, flexibility and creativity.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My parents have always been extremely supportive of all of my creative endeavors, encouraging me to try new things and put myself out there.

Without their support I would have never tried pottery or given serious consideration to putting my work out to the world, let alone selling it. Their knowledge of business practices as well as their appreciation for my art has driven me to put myself out there.

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