All Fired Up is our Store’s month-to-month handmade ceramics drop, curated by Food52 and made by small and native makers. This month, we’re that includes Chicago-based artist Emily Christopherson of EMRIS studio.
For lots of artists, the dream is that somebody—perhaps a professor or a curator—spots their work and says, “You’ve received it.” Realistically, that hardly ever occurs. However for Emily Christopherson, it sort of did.
“I had professors who would joke, ‘You’re within the arts college, proper?’” she instructed me. On the time, she laughed it off. However ultimately, their confidence helped push her to switch from the College of Minnesota to the College of the Artwork Institute of Chicago and absolutely decide to ceramics.
“I knew I actually favored it,” she mentioned. “But it surely didn’t really feel like an actual choice—I had sort of written it off.”
Earlier than making ceramics her full-time job, Emily managed a studio part-time, taught at colleges, and offered at markets round Chicago. You’ll be able to often spot her by the vibe of her sales space—sun-soaked, calm, and punctiliously organized. Her work has the identical vitality: considerate, grounded, and deeply tactile.
Her items are soft-edged however stone-like. You wish to attain out and contact them. Colours keep heat and earthy—assume terracotta and stone grey. It’s the sort of assortment that simply works, it doesn’t matter what else is in your desk.
And sure, she is aware of the magic of a plate-bowl hybrid. She’s additionally keen on a pinch bowl—“there’s sort of a teeny bowl crew out on the planet,” she laughed.
Even the identify of her studio has a narrative. EMRIS is a mash-up of her and her dad’s names, created throughout a childhood reminiscence digging out a bit “lake” on the seaside.
“It simply felt becoming for somebody nonetheless sort of digging round in mud and sand,” she mentioned with a smile. And it’s an ode to her dad and mom, who’ve all the time inspired her to comply with her artistic instincts. “They’ve all the time been supportive of me pursuing what I’m enthusiastic about.”
This month, we’re fortunate to hold a few of Emily’s most beloved items in our Store, from textured pinch bowls to a brand new wavy serving platter impressed by a current journey to Maine. “That one got here from exploring tide swimming pools and how rocks and shells get softened by the water,” she mentioned. “Lots of people mistake my work for stone or concrete at first as a result of I depart the outside unglazed.”
Her All Fired Up assortment pulls from her core lineup: “I picked items folks all the time gravitate towards,” she mentioned. That features the teeny bowls, spreaders, and stoneware with delicate leather-based touches—each handmade in her Chicago studio (and sure, dishwasher secure).
Emily describes ceramics as a “gradual burn.” She’s been throwing for fifteen years, promoting for six, and formally went full-time about two years in the past. And now, issues are taking off.
We caught as much as chat extra about her path to ceramics and the inspiration behind her new assortment.
How did you first get into ceramics?
I’ve all the time favored working with my arms—and with clay particularly. After I was youthful, my mother and I’d sit on the kitchen desk with Sculpey and make little creatures or coil pots. Then in highschool, I used to be fortunate sufficient to get right into a ceramics class my freshman 12 months, and I knew I needed to attempt it.
What actually saved me there, although, was the neighborhood. I’m a bit extra introverted, so it was good to be round folks but additionally have one thing to concentrate on. I made a few of my closest associates by way of ceramics.
Did you find yourself finding out it all through school?
I did. I began on the College of Minnesota not sure of what I needed to do. The uncertainty of an artist’s profession path scared me—there’s no apparent subsequent step. However I saved having lecturers and professors who inspired me, who had extra confidence in me than I did. Ultimately, I transferred to the College of the Artwork Institute of Chicago and spent most of my time within the ceramics division.
Was there somebody who actually pushed you towards making that leap?
Throughout my first semester at Minnesota, one professor saved nudging me. I confirmed up with my outdated highschool ceramic instruments and he’d say, “Oh, you’re within the arts program, proper?” He didn’t know me properly, however the truth that he noticed potential in me made me assume—perhaps that is one thing I may do.
Earlier than you have been in artwork college, was ceramics in your radar as a profession path?
Probably not, at first. I knew I favored it, however I used to be nervous about what which may appear like. It felt like most artists solid completely different paths, whereas with different jobs there was a transparent observe. That lack of readability made it onerous to image it as one thing steady.
Within the two years since going full-time with EMRIS, what’s been essentially the most rewarding half?
Having extra freedom—selecting how I spend my time, what tasks to tackle. Even on onerous days, I really feel actually fortunate to have a studio and work that brings me consolation. Earlier than it was a job, it was my escape. Now, I nonetheless get to have that—simply with a bit extra clay and much more spreadsheets.
Picture by Armando Rafael
What impressed your assortment for All Fired Up?
We pulled from my current assortment and made some enjoyable units. Just like the teeny bowls in numerous colours and clay our bodies, or the spreaders (like small cheese and butter knives). These are issues folks have a tendency to essentially love, so it felt like a good time to share them extra broadly.
Do you’ve a factor that you simply made early on the place you possibly can have a look at it and be like, ‘Oh, that is sort of what I do now’?
It positively took me some time to land on my type. I went by way of that part of pondering, I don’t know if I’m ok to be an artist, and I attempted on a whole lot of completely different types that didn’t essentially really feel pure to me. A number of my early work—particularly in highschool—was in all places, which I truly assume is an efficient strategy to study and check out new methods. However as soon as I began leaning right into a extra minimal type, every thing began to make a bit extra sense.
These solutions have been edited for readability.
How are you incorporating ceramics into your private home this summer time?
