Nick
Our Collab
Katie
our process
Nick and Katie met working together in architecture and sharing a pottery studio in Nashville, TN. In the studio, Nick typically explores various parts of the process, from throwing to firing, while Katie practices decorating pieces through a traditional process called sgraffito.
Through our shared interests, we began combining efforts to collaborate on pieces where Nick throws and trims, and Katie paints an underglaze which she carves away creating detailed linework. Afterwards, the piece is put through a low temperature firing to then be glazed and fired to its final temperature.
Our process is both collaborative and exploratory. Being able to focus on and thrive in the parts of the process that you enjoy while trusting the other artist to react to your work produces unexpected and exciting results each time.
Through our shared interests, we began combining efforts to collaborate on pieces where Nick throws and trims, and Katie paints an underglaze which she carves away creating detailed linework. Afterwards, the piece is put through a low temperature firing to then be glazed and fired to its final temperature.
Our process is both collaborative and exploratory. Being able to focus on and thrive in the parts of the process that you enjoy while trusting the other artist to react to your work produces unexpected and exciting results each time.
about us
Nicholas van Son
I began practicing pottery in 2023 out of an interest in the relationship between hand craft and digital making with 3D printed clay. I have stuck with it ever since and have continued to delve into the details of clay and glaze composition and various types of firing. The parts of ceramics that excite me the most are those where the process is revealed in the final piece and when the viewer can parse out elements of the piece’s history as a result.
This often means that I’m focused on the glazing and firing side of things, but getting to work with Katie has allowed me to explore new forms in my work and to let go of some of the other parts of the ceramics process. I have viewed ceramics as a collaborative process where the maker is working with the clay, glaze, and kiln, but being able to work with another artist has forced me to explore a making process that I wouldn’t have been involved with otherwise.
Outside of pottery, I practice architecture and spend my time working in several other mediums like woodworking, and 3D printing, working on electronics, and playing tennis.
Katie Schultz
I started pottery a year and a half ago. I signed up for a class for fun when I was going through my ~hobby era~ and I quickly realized just how hard pottery is. I never quite got the hang of throwing on the wheel, but I did get the hang of making very awkward mugs that were too big to be espresso cups and too small to be coffee mugs.
I then took a sgraffito workshop and discovered that the painting + carving process was where I really started to find my place in the world of pottery. I sort of gave up with throwing on the wheel, and began slab rolling plates to paint on. Nick saw my plates and asked if he could throw me something to sgraffito on. And that’s when the dream team was formed…
Outside of pottery, I’m an architect for my job and enjoy playing volleyball, baking bread, and being on the lake. I hope you like my work!