Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Featured Etsy Artist of the Week - Jenny Blasen Pottery



Recently, I was randomly searching through Etsy and ran across this seller - Jenny Blasen Pottery. I was especially interested in her original cupcake plates. They are so darn cute. I think I am in the mood for a cupcake so I think I need to get a plate!
When I was little my family and I used to go to this little German community and shop, they had a pottery store and I always loved to go in there and look around. I always wanted to buy something, anything. In high school I took an art class and we made stuff with the snake rolls of clay. That is the closest I ever got to working with clay. I admire anyone that can create with clay and not have it fall apart or "lean" like mine did.

So go check out Jenny's shop and admire her creations the way I have.
Jenny is also a member of the Etsy Mud Team (EMT).

How I got started:
I was an anthropology major in college and I took my first pottery class during my year abroad in Japan. Fell in love and continued to take classes over the years. I am a stay at home mother of two and finally got serious about clay after my youngest started preschool this year. I have a great studio to work out of and a supportive teacher/mentor who encouraged me to sell on Etsy. He actually started selling here first and pestered me until I opened up my own shop. His shop is hafelepottery.

What inspires me?
I make functional pieces, so I make things I would want to use. For example, I love to bake, so I was on the lookout for the perfect cake stand. I couldn't find one, so I decided to make one. I started out small and the cupcake stand was born. I lived in Japan for three years and have a huge collection of Japanese pottery. The typical Japanese table is filled with many little dishes, not Western-size dinnerplates. I love to make sets of little dishes.

One word to describe myself: busy
Favorite Book: I love to read anything. Right now I am reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Favorite Movie: Love the Indiana Jones movies--can't wait for the new one to come out next month.
Favorite Song: Anything by Jack Johnson or John Cruz (both are from Hawaii).

1 comment:

Ant said...

Jenny's work is awesome! Thanks for sharing the interview!