Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Allice.
Hi Erin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started taking ceramics back in high school and some electives during my undergrad at the University of Houston. I started College in 2000 and graduated with a psychology degree in 2008 from UofH. I just didn’t really think that art as a career would be possible. flash forward to 2018 my best friend Melissa Getty convinced me to take ceramics with her at the University of North Texas since we are both employees of UNT’s College of Engineering we have the opportunity to seek post Bacc degrees with flex work hours. I had two amazing professors Lyndee Deal and Jihye Han (both ceramicists) who really gave me the motivation and inspiration to keep at ceramics and really push myself. A short time later in May of 2019, my friend Melissa Getty and I formed the Denton Ceramics Collective as a place for ceramicists to come together and learn and support each other and to also give an opportunity to sell all our artwork at shows around the DFW area that might not be possible from someone just starting out or doing it on their own.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been easy or cheap to do. I have a really supportive husband and friends to help keep me motivated. Sometimes things do not always go as planned I’ve lost entire kiln loads of work to a mistake and sometimes it just happens randomly because in ceramics there are no guarantees.
Also when I first decided to get a kiln and a wheel and start doing ceramics out of my garage I had no idea how much it costs to get something like this setup. So that was a huge stepping stone I had to overcome at first. Then it has also been a struggle to learn and basically teach myself about glaze chemistry to be able to troubleshoot all the glaze problems that occur and to also start making my own glazes from scratch. At this point, I have made probably over 1,000 test tiles for my glaze testing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Inspired by nature, I love to find ways to combine animals, plants, and insects with clay and bring a part of nature inside to the built environment. With retro forms with a modern vibe and handmade glazes tailored to highlight nature and bring mindfulness to one’s day.
I am most proud of forming the Denton Ceramics Collective and also my first juried gallery show I had a piece accepted into was the Epperson Gallery of Ceramic Arts in Crockett CA and the exhibit was the “Menagerie, National Clay Competition” juried by Ariel Bowman.
Contact Info:
- Email: erin.allice@hotmail.com
- Website: https://www.greenfaeriedesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenfaeriedesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Greenfaeriedesigns
- Other: https://www.dentonceramicscollective.com/
Image Credits
Erin Allice
