We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Rives a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Emily, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I’ve known I was an artist since I was a child. I would bring my sketchbook with me everywhere, being observant of the spaces I was in and making note of it. I’ve continued this practice throughout my life, and have learned that there is always something new to learn and explore from what you find in your every day experiences. Also, there are just so many mediums and techniques that are available in this world, and if you keep the mind set of “never stop learning” then these new techniques will take you places you never thought to go before. Keeping creativity alive is to keep an open mind to new things!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a Fine Artist, I tend to explore different mediums as the project sees fit. However, I’m all in when it comes to ceramics! In 2020, I started making both functional and sculptural work. While I’m taking all the opportunities I can to improve my skills by learning traditional techniques through more common forms, I am also working to create more sculptural pieces that blur the line between every day pottery and art.
My previous bodies of work have reflected on what makes a space a home, in regard to the bones of the shelter and how we as humans interact with and coexist in that space. Now shifting my focus onto ceramics as a medium, I’m currently exploring how the vessel can also become a representation of shelter, in conjunction with the idea that we, humans, and the objects we fill our space with, become one. Along the same vein as what makes a structure a home, I’m posing the question, where’s the line between purely functional pottery and art? In the art world, it seems to be pottery vs. sculpture, almost pitted against each other, like art is only found in a gallery, and pottery is intended to be purely functional and in the home. I wonder where the line is blurred, that these vessels, made from ancient techniques, can exist as art in our every day lives. And could it be as simple as semantics? “Pottery” equals pots used for function, and “ceramics” is more in reference to the material and how it becomes sculptural.
Ceramics is one of the most exciting and challenging mediums I have worked in, because there are so many things that affect the work throughout the entire process. No matter how well you make something, there is always an outside force that could cause something to go wrong. There are many opportunities to learn or adjust, so it truly never gets dull.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Reflecting on how I got to where I am now, I would say that the three most important things that have helped me are not being afraid to try, find a community of other artists, and ask questions. One of the most important things that has improved my skill this quickly is just being open to try something that seems difficult. I don’t tend to give myself time to dwell on how hard something may be before just diving in. The great thing about clay, and even paint, is that you can mess up an infinite amount of times and be able to salvage it in some way, even if it means recycling the clay to begin again. And so many of the lessons come in those “failed” moments. I have taught myself most of what I know about the building side of pottery by just trying it, and not being afraid to ask questions if I really just don’t understand something. The art community, especially the pottery side of it, is extremely friendly and welcoming. When you find a community, whether it’s in a communal studio or an online group, people tend to want you to succeed. It’s been a beautiful experience to see that there are these spaces that are safe and comfortable for you to just try new, crazy things.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
Just like with almost every aspect of life, there has to be a balance. Why let your strengths go to waste? I find that they can bring you to a place where you have an opportunity to expand your knowledge, and even give you comfort in knowing that you actually do have the ability to go farther and do something seemingly difficult. I believe that investing effort into learning something new is one of the most important things we can do in this life, but that’s not to say you have to be the best at each thing you try. Sometimes you get as far as you can, and it’s okay to give yourself permission to move on.
Contact Info:
- Website: emilyrives.com
- Instagram: Rives_Ceramics
