Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabine Fletcher.
Sabine, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Practicing art in many forms has always been a large part of my life, from painting to photography, and most recently diving into ceramics. I moved to DFW in 2012 to pursue a degree at the University of North Texas. In Denton, I found the most incredible art community willing to collaborate and push new ideas. During this time, I was also able to work for a local magazine (Austere) which gave me experience in planning large events, seeing the collaborative work of my peers in print, and access to taking photographs at local fashion events. After coming from a small town in south Texas, this really expanded my views of art and what you could do with it.
After spending a year in the corporate fashion world after college, I realized the cubicle life really was not for me. After that realization, I quit my job and began volunteering with a local ceramics studio to learn the craft affordably. That was in 2018, and ever since then, I’ve been working with clay as my main medium. As an artist with so many interests, I find it hard to stick with one project or complete things sometimes. When working with clay, I found myself creating more than I ever had and actually completing everything I set out to do. The more I learn about it, the more I realize the infinite possibilities from shape and function to color and glazes.
When I moved back to DFW in 2019, I worked as a Dinosaur sculptor, which gave me some very intense specialty skills from airbrushing to casting body parts, knowledge which has elevated my work immensely.
During this year of quarantine, I decided to pursue ceramics as my full-time job instead of just a hobby, creating Fletchers Ceramics as my brand and figuring out a way to become independent of the 9-5 world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road, haha. Honestly, money is one of the biggest struggles in pursuing ceramics. It’s an expensive craft to get into, from finding a studio to fire with to simply investing in personal tools and glazes. The other largest obstacle has to be my own brain. It takes a lot to reach a point where you feel like your art is quality enough to share with the world. This applies to sharing photographs as well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I like to tell people I’m a Swiss army knife of art because of all the mediums in my life but my two mains are film photography and ceramics. In photographs, I’m known for playing with blue and orange lights, portraits of beautiful men, and capturing the essence of a place in time with quick street shots. In clay, I’d say working with interesting glaze textures + colors, hollow ring vases, lamps, and cow print mugs!
After this year in ceramics, I’m most proud of learning how to wire my own lamps and becoming faster and faster at producing work without error. The photograph that consistently sticks in my mind, though, is one of these three boys diving into the ocean. I walked out on a jetti around 6 am one day when traveling and met them. They let me take pictures of them diving and doing flips while we talked. It was so much fun and resulted in the picture with great movement and action. I think the ability to appreciate beauty in the simplest forms and constantly seeking out new knowledge with self-education is what allows me to be the best I can be.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’ve had so many mentors and insane peer support over the years I don’t know how to list them all. The biggest supporters in my family are my Tia and my mom emotionally, my father and uncle for showing me how to pursue a strange life consisting of bone lamps, communes and antiquing. My brother for always giving me that wonderful logical advice.
All of my wonderful friends in Denton who allowed me to photograph them CONSTANTLY for five years. That changed my life. (Samantha, Jack, Lauren, Joelle, Andrew, Logan, Sam Tan, The ladies of Austere, etc.) Travis Potter for expanding my ideas of art in every piece of life. Debra, my corporate trend forecasting mentor, for teaching me color theory and believing in this brain.
Living water studio for allowing me to dip my feet into clay. All of my wonderful studio mates at Trade this last year, Brooke, Corrie and Helena who have pushed me to work harder.
Contact Info:
- Email: sabiner.fletcher@gmail.com
- Website: sabineruth.com
- Instagram: Fletchersceramics
