I have been squishing clay between my hands for as long as I can remember. As a child, art projects would keep me busy for hours. I find pleasure in all things creative, but clay has always been the material that I love the most. As a child, I would seek out red clay for mud pies at my childhood home in Tennessee. In middle school, my teacher allotted me one week of uninterrupted wheel time and from that moment I was "bitten" by the clay bug. In high school, I had one other opportunity to try the pottery wheel and it kept that spark alive. I was blessed to have the sweetest art teachers that saw a spark inside of me and I'm fortunate that they all follow my work today! 

 

When I registered for college I knew I would be an art education major, and the first class I signed up for was ceramics. From the time I stepped into the ceramics studio I knew I was home.  Lots of pots were made, countless hours were spent getting muddy, and I loved every minute of my time studying and learning under the very talented Ken Shipley at Austin Peay State University. Check out his studio, River City Clay, in Clarksville, TN.

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For more than twelve years, I taught art in public schools in Tennessee and Ohio and I have worked with all grades K-12. For a time, I was even the director of a historical community museum in Ohio. During that time, I hosted art classes for all ages and we had the best time. Many of us have stayed friends for years! Teaching art is an abosolute pleasure and my students made such an impact on my life. Art is such an essential outlet and it gives students a unique outlook on life. Art is a universal language and a dynamic form of communication. 

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In 2021, I took a pause from teaching when our family moved to Madison, Ga.  I planned one year off to get our girls settled into sourthern life and to throw lots of pots. Instead, I had a huge reminder that our best laid plans are often interrupted. Life tossed me a curve ball when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37, as a result of my BRCAII gene mutation. Perhaps you are asking yourself why I would share this information with you on my pottery website? Well, if this experience has taught me anything, it has shown me that sharing our story, pain, and stuggles can bring light to someone else's darkest of days. It can bring us together. I realized during those challenging times that faith, family and art would propel me forward. I was fortunate enough to be gifted this background in art and it will serve as a way for me to share my story, to communicate and to empower other women to seek out the preventative care that best fits their life. Remenber that art is a universal language, so by creating artwork that is reflective of my experiences I hope to resonate with the viewer. I recently hosted my first show that is reflective of the breast cancer journey and I have more plans in the works so stay tuned.

 

 Currently my passion for art and teaching has allowed me to pursue another dream-.establishing my own pottery business.  Five surgeries certainly slowed me down for a few years, but I've been working hard to regain my physical and mental strength and making art has been at the forefront of my healing.  Since, the diagnosis and healing, I have been teaching private pottery lessons and hosting large group classes at a local gallery, my studio, and other businesses. In addition to teaching independently, I spend nearly everyday with my hands in clay creating functional and decorative pottery that I sell locally across GA and back home in TN. Cancer certainly shook me to the core, but it also gave me the courage to chase more of my dreams. It gave me a hard shake and reminded me that life is fleeting and beauty is everywhere. It opened my eyes to what really matters in this world and the issues that we often see as "big" aren't really so big at all. 

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So, I thank you for reading this lengthy story, and I hope you find some inspiration to seek out happiness even from the smallest of things. My journey is ever evolving and my ultimate goal is to share the beauty of creating art with others. You might find me in a traditional classroom or perhaps join me for a lesson or class, and  you too can feel first hand how humbling it is to work with clay. Seek out a local gallery and check out some art, or better yet talk to the artists to see what inspires them! Hold a handmade mug as you sip your morning coffee and think about the love that is poured into making such an object. Wherever you go and whatever you do, may you do it with peace and love in your heart!

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-Lauren Martin