Emily, Banzai, Rex & Clovis

WalkThe_ have a long and growing list of creatives and canines we are excited to profile. It was not our intention to have such a heavy focus on artists and designer making things for and about dogs. But there are a lot of fabulous design-led doggie inspired makers out there! Emily VanderMey is one such maker - her ceramics absolutely put a wag in our tail. Emily’s style is phenomenal, so we reached out to learn more about her studio, her collaboration with her husband Nick, the three canine members of their family and the beautiful sgraffitto animal portraits that adorn Emily’s work.

Hi Emily, can you tell us a little bit about your early creative influences and what led you to art, pottery and design?

I’ve always had the artistic bug. My dad painted when I was young and I grew up in an environment that was very supportive of my creative interests. I spent a few years taking painting classes at the local community center and for the last two years of high school I attended a magnet school that offered intensive graphic design courses. I knew I wanted to pursue a creative career, but it wasn’t until my second year at college that I discovered pottery. I ended up doing a double concentration in Graphic Design and Ceramics - you couldn’t keep me out of the ceramics studio after I discovered my love for clay.

How long have you been potting?

It’s been 9 years since I first touched clay in college, but I consider the true beginning of my pottery career to be 2015 when I moved to Appomattox Virginia for a 1-year pottery residency. My skill improved significantly while I was there and I developed  very beginnings of the type of work I do now during my time in Virginia.

 Your husband was also a production potter and assists with your work – how do you scope your roles in the studio and what are the best parts about collaborating with your partner?

My husband (Nick) throws the pottery forms for me because he’s just so much quicker than I am on the wheel.  This is a huge help for me so I can focus on the parts of my work I love the most, drawing on clay! Collaborating with him allows a much more intimate understanding of my work so when it comes time to critique what’s working and what isn’t with forms, finishing touches, and style we are both already on the same page.

And you also work part time as a designer can you give us some insight into this work?

I’ve done just about every type of graphic design there is over the past 8 years. I love seeing the connections between my design work and pottery and also having the time to switch gears and focus on something different. If that isn’t the best way to combat creative block I don’t know what is. It has also been funding my ability to continue working with clay even when clay was not making me any money. As you would expect, the type of design I enjoy the most is illustration.

How do you feel like your ceramic work has evolved since you started out?

I started out making sculptural work and wood firing, so my work is very different than it was just 3 years ago. After I left college I was making sculptures and installations of abstract bugs, fungi, and natural forms and just starting to experiment with functional work and sgraffito (scratching through a surface to reveal a lower layer of a contrasting color).

Mug images from Emily’s online store: https://emilyvandermey.com/

How would you describe your aesthetic?

My work is an intersection of minimalism with clean lines and contours, and a looser more gestural style of illustration and brushwork.

We love the sgraffitto illustrations you apply to your mugs. What insight can you give us to your process?

I’m very good at tracing images, which is how I begin my process and why I stress the importance of quality images when people commission a piece from me. I start with the basic contours on my ipad which I use similarly to a light table to trace the pet photos, then use a process of transferring an inkjet template to the clay to start the sgraffito process. I carve the contours into the mug first, then when the clay is drier I free hand all the detail that really makes the illustrations come to life.

What is the process for pet parents wanting to commission a piece?

I have an online store where you can check out all the color options, and after you make your purchase you will send me photos of your pets to sketch. To make sure you love your mug, I sent a sketch proof via email and make any changes from there. Everyone sees their pet differently, so it’s important to make sure I capture that little detail that sets their pet apart.

Bowl images from Emily’s online store: https://emilyvandermey.com/

What project or achievement are you most proud of professionally?

Every baby step I make towards being able to do this full time is a huge accomplishment in my book. A year ago I never thought I could say I had made over 200 custom mugs in 6 months but here we are. I’m very proud to have gotten to this point and I hope I’m able to continue doing this work.

Platter image from Emily’s online store: https://emilyvandermey.com/

How does the landscape in Marshall, North Carolina, inspire or inform your work?

I have a beautiful view of our old hay fields and farm from one side of the studio, which is incredibly calming and satisfying to look out on every day. Some of my other illustrations feature farm scenes including barns, hay bales, split rail fences, goats, cows and chickens, all of which surround us in our small farm community and appear on our own property.

Please tell us about your three dogs…

Banzai (Dutch shepherd mix): I know you aren’t supposed to have favorites, but Banzai is my favorite. She is the first dog me and Nick adopted together and the only one of the three we go as a puppy. She came into our lives at 5 months old, after we went to an adoption event “just to see the cute puppies”. We were actually in the market for a senior dog after fostering a number of older dogs that fit our (then) low key lifestyle. Dutch Shepherds are the cutest dogs ever, but are not for the faint of heart. We went through a lot of training with Banzai, 3 different trainers with different techniques because she came to us with a lot of anxiety and stranger danger responses. She’s just the sweetest girl though, and we have a special bond because she was the only dog we had for 2 years. Her and Rex are both now 3 years old.

Rex (German shepherd): Rex came into our lives soon after we bought our farm with a BIG yard. Banzai needed a companion to help her burn all that energy. We adopted him from a German Shepherd rescue when he was 2 years old. He’s such a loyal companion. It took him quite a while to show his true personality and accept love from us, but now he can’t get enough of his people.

Clovis (Rat terrier mix): Clovis is our newest addition. We adopted him from a local humane society this winter in hopes to have a farm dog to chase off moles, voles, and other rodents from the vegetable beds. There was no way he was going to stay a farm dog though, he loves his people so much he just follows us around everywhere. No leash required. He’s a cuddle fiend and since he’s so small I can’t help but picking him up all the time for snuggles.

Tell us about a typical day in the life of your dogs?

They play a lot and sleep a lot. They’ve really adapted to our schedules of activity and rest so when we’re out and about they’re outside with us, and when we’re relaxing on the couch or doing house chores they’re sleeping in their beds. We have a very small house for 2 humans and 3 dogs so we had to make sure they knew to be relaxed when we’re all inside. Banzai and Clovis’ favorite outdoor activity is booking it to the walnut grove across the yard to check for squirrels in the yard and in the trees, and Rex will spend all day outside prancing around with way too large sticks or just keeping watch of the property.

 You pottery studio is based on your farm. Do they tend to spend time in your studio with you or are they out exploring/working the land?

They’re usually out in the yard or relaxing inside the house when I’m working in the studio, but they do get the occasional trip to the studio when I don’t have to really get in the zone and focus. They’re like toddlers in the studio putting everything in their mouths so I have to keep an eye on them. A couple of years ago when Banzai was younger and much more anxious I would bring her with me to my studio that was a few miles from our house so I didn’t have to leave her home alone. It’s always a joy to be able to take a dog break when I need a little pick me up in the middle of a hard day.

 How does dog parenthood improve your wellbeing?

It definitely keeps me sane. Being able to cuddle with my pups during a bad day or seeing how happy they are to see me when I come back into the house even after just an hour of being away is such a great feeling. They also have been a big part in making sure I get up and going each day and not falling into a slump. Rex particularly holds me to their schedules of eating and playing by pacing around the house and whining if I’m on the couch too long.

What life lesson have you learnt from your dogs?

It’s hard and frustrating work raising 3 dogs, especially very active breeds. They’ve taught me a lot but first and foremost is patience. I have become a much more patient and calm person knowing how dogs mirror our energy and I need to control my energy before I can expect them to listen to me.

Can you share a favourite personality trait for each of your dogs?

Honestly, their names say a lot about their personality. We kept Banzai & Rex’s name from their rescues because they were so fitting.

Banzai:

Banzai is absolutely insane, notably so in her younger years. She would run and run and run when we were able to let her off leash and was impossible to get back until she decided she was done playing. She is very loving when she’s gotten her energy but really needs to be able to run to her heart's content. My favorite thing she does is when she stretches out on her back in what I call her yoga pose, with one arm outstretched and the other curled around it, always with a little snaggle tooth sticking out. It gets me every time.

Rex:

Rex is so sweet, but is as big and clumsy as they come. On more than one occasion he’s had a very large stick and knocked right into my legs with it, or he gets so excited to turn around and grab a toy in the house that he konks his head on the coffee table or wall and just gives me a confused look and goes about his business. He will play “give me the piggy” all day if we let him which is very similar to “no take, only throw” where he brings us his piggy toy only to have us reach for it and he takes it away to prance around with it for a while and offer it to us again. It’s honestly so cute I could do it all day too.

Clovis:

Clovis is the cuddliest cuddle bug I’ve ever met. If I would hold him all day he would want nothing else from life. His little quirk is when he’s super anxious to go outside. He’s not a vocal dog, but he’ll wine at the door and then when I say ok you can go outside he’s barrel out the door screaming like a banshee across the yard looking for squirrels.

Is there another creative canine combo you'd like to see profiled? If so please provide their contact details or social handles?

Callie Ayers is my friend and painter in Asheville, NC. https://www.calliefineart.com/ @calliefine_art

And your favourite animal welfare charity? 

I did a partnership earlier this year with Mountain Pet Rescue Asheville @mountainpetrescueavl https://www.mountainpetrescueavl.org/ They are a wonderful foster based rescue in my area and an incredible group of women who absolutely love helping animals.

Finally where can we see more of your work?

I post updates on Instagram and Facebook almost daily @vandermeyceramics and you can view and purchase my work from my website emilyvandermey.com