This month we get to hang with the incredibly talented and eclectic Catie Miller of Catie Miller Ceramics! Catie is the artist behind our 9th Annual Unglued: Craft Fest poster this year below:
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’ve spent most of my life in the FM area, graduating from MSUM in 2013. After graduating, I was chosen for an artist residency in Kansas City where I was able to work in a community ceramic studio and manage their educational programs. After residency, I moved back to Fargo and worked in the education department of Plains Art Museum for a year before taking the leap to being an artist full-time. Now, 2.5 years later, I work from my home studio, have a little red-headed boy, a mini wiener dog, and a husband who loves watching true-crime with me. I also really enjoy crafting outside of clay, personalizing our first home with lots of little DIYs, and spending time outside – even if it is just a walk down to our mailbox.
Describe your handmade business:
I make ceramic tableware that is a mix of colorful patterns and illustrations for someone who is creating an eclectic home.
What is one of your most favorite items you have made?
I love making plates and platters because they have such a large surface to decorate. We entertain a lot, so I like to use the plates and platters when we host get-togethers. Seeing them in-use really enlivens them for me.
What is your favorite flower?
My favorite types of plants are mostly considered greenery or filler. I love seeded eucalyptus, lambs ear, blue thistle, and berries sprigs, but also enjoy large statement flowers like protea, hydrangea, peonies, and anemones.
What are your most essential tools?
My most essential tool is probably my kiln. Without it, I couldn’t fire and finish my creations. It is basically a really hot oven that heats the clay and glazes to a few thousand degrees, making the pieces food safe and durable for eternity (or close).
What was your inspiration for the Craft Fest poster this year?
The design for the poster is a direct reference to my work, which is full of floral illustrations in bright colors. I started with a sketch of tracing paper which I then painted in. After the colors were dry, I took another piece of tracing paper to create the layer of black lines. Finally, the sketches were scanned in to make digital layers in Photoshop. Why not just use Photoshop to do it all? Similar to my work, I like the hand drawn quality of the illustrations and the offset nature of the colors to the outlines.
What is a word that best describes you?
I’m pretty preggo right now, so the best word is emotional! But in all seriousness, I’d say optimistic.
What advice would you have given yourself 5 years ago?
Everything is hard, but you just do it and that is how things get done, by doing them.
Website/Etsy: www.catiemillerceramics.com and www.etsy.com/shop/catiemillerceramics
Thank you so much Catie!! And thank you for the incredible Fest poster artwork and design! Meet Catie along with 70 other local and regional makers in-person at the 9th Annual Unglued: Craft Fest Feb 22-23, 2019!
Comments