Let’s start from the beginning! Tell us about the journey that led you to where you are now.

I grew up outside Seattle and was introduced to ceramics during an eighth-grade field trip to explore art galleries in the city’s historic Pioneer Square. There was a small pottery school attached to one of the galleries. I grabbed a brochure, took a summer class, and have been hooked ever since. Things really shifted in my early twenties. I was still making pottery, while looking for direction and purpose, when I discovered the health benefits of fermented foods. I stepped out of my comfort zone to make fermentation jars then spent a few years exploring the form and the process of making the jars. The years of trial and error gave me a chance to develop my aesthetic and it soon became a central part of my craft. Each mistake taught me more about the medium. What began as a solo pursuit then grew into a team effort here in the East Bay where I founded Sarah Kersten Studio. As demand grew, we learned techniques, like slip casting and jiggering, to scale production while creating beautiful durable stoneware. The company is rooted in the joy and meaning of making ceramics at a small scale. I love seeing how our work fits into both bustling restaurants and peaceful moments at home.

You’re passionate about naturally-inspired, handmade products and seasonal cooking. Can you explain how these two worlds collide to support the ethos of your brand?

Small moments and details bring meaning and texture to our lives. Enjoying a beautiful ceramic piece is very similar to appreciating fresh foods and cooking; both are grounded in tactile experiences of beauty. Both cooking and handmade pieces inspire slowing down to experience and appreciate the moment. The clay we work with is raw and earthy, and each piece reflects the beauty of its natural origins, much like the fresh, seasonal ingredients I’ve become inspired by in California. At Sarah Kersten Studio, we create pieces that serve a functional purpose and enhance the experience of preparing and enjoying food. Our tableware, like our fermentation jars, celebrate the slow, thoughtful processes found in both cooking and crafting stoneware by hand.

What inspires you? What factors have played roles in the development of your artistic style?

When making ceramics, much of the style is influenced by the materials and the process used to create the pieces. The style of stoneware that we make has a history in California, and I fell in love with it when I moved here. It is authentic and deeply beautiful to me. Clay bodies, glazes, and the firing process limit what we can make, but these constraints are comforting and help me focus. Early on, I decided to make my forms as simple as possible, stripping them down to the essentials, hoping to only complicate when necessary. Turns out that it doesn’t feel necessary very often. I try to refine a design or a glaze or a product until it feels right. I want my pieces to have presence and beauty, and I want them to blend seamlessly into a beautiful and functional life. 

For me, limitations are a guide. A lot of decisions are made for me by the materials and the functional concepts of what I am making, which forces me to be adaptable and creative. I am inspired by nature: it is perfect and imperfect, beautiful and honest.

Tell us what a typical day-in-the-life looks like for you. 

I usually start the day with coffee and toast in our little backyard. A few years ago, the studio became a family company when my partner Andrew joined me in managing the business, which lets me focus on the studio side. We talk about the schedule and then I head in to work. Once I’m at the studio I wear a lot of hats; I could be doing anything from turning kilns or glazing, to taking new product photos. It really just depends. I am generally in the studio all day. Andrew cooks, so I’m lucky to come home and enjoy a beautiful meal before going to bed early.

How do you seek to incorporate balance in your life?

In a high-tech world where so much is mass-manufactured, I’m proud to craft stoneware that feels natural and grounded. To keep providing that sense of authenticity in my work, it’s important that I stay grounded too! Whether I’m on a hike or relaxing by the coast, spending time in nature allows me to reset. It’s in those quiet moments that I reconnect with the same calm and focus I aim to create for my customers through my work. I also find myself drawn to the comforts of home and the simple joys of eating good food.

What can you share about your creative process? In what circumstances does your creativity thrive and how do you nurture your creativity through the busier seasons of life?

An important part of my creative process is to embrace potential constraints as opportunities for innovation. The forms that have become my signature pieces often emerged from leaning into those limits and letting the process take the lead. We tend to be busier in the fall and during the holiday season. Spring is the most creative season for me; it feels natural, and there is more space in my schedule for new projects. My creativity thrives when there is empty space, either in my schedule or on my shelves. Empty space is a gift for me.

What advice would you offer to other female artists looking to grow their business?

What’s next for you? How do you hope to see the impact of your work take form?

There’s always something new brewing in the studio! Right now, I’m excited to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can do with stoneware, especially as we experiment with new glazes. More immediately, we’re bringing back candles this winter, which is a fun way to show the versatility of a ceramic bowl. Another lovely part of what we do is creating pieces for a variety of restaurants across the country. There’s such a beautiful connection between sustenance and ceramics—handcrafted bowls and plates playing a role in the food experience. Looking ahead, after so many years of making utilitarian work that we produce as a team, I’m feeling a strong pull towards personally making one-of-a-kind pieces again as well.

Favorite place to visit to spark inspiration?

Coastal redwood forests.

Color or neutrals?

Color is great but neutrals are everything for me.

Favorite glaze technique?

I’ve been enjoying the magic of the layered dipping technique that we use with our sierra shino glaze.

Favorite space in your home?

My garden & my heated Galanter + Jones chairs