About the Artist

My Artistic Journey: Finding my voice

Pottery is more than just an artistic medium; it is a craft! After beginning my journey with clay, I stumbled upon the niche world of collectible art mugs, and I quickly started my own collection. I marveled at the balance between functionality and artistic expression. With my own pottery practice, I began to zone in on mugs, completely focused on crafting something that would feel good to hold and use. The concept of turning something mundane, like a mug, into a work of art fascinated me. I had to lean into this curiosity. How do I craft a mug that is more than just something cool to look at, one you would actually reach for and use regularly? I wanted to make sure I had the mug itself, the canvas, up to my standards of what felt well-made and well-crafted. And finally, once I had my canvas, I started feeling that all familiar intimidation of “the blank page” staring back at me. How do I decorate this blank mug? What makes a utilitarian item “art”? 

To answer this question, I needed to dive deep within myself. What really inspires me? What do I find beautiful and worth emulating? Sure, I’ve been creative as long as I can remember. Sure, I have a specific taste in aesthetics and artworks. But what, deep down, do I feel moved by?

I grew up in the PNW, my earliest memories being strapped to my dad’s back hiking Oneota Gorge. I spent all day long playing pretend with my friends in the woods, going to overnight camp for hiking and creek walking, staying at my grandparents’ blueberry farm in the summer, catching frogs, snakes, and crawfish with my bare hands. I feel fortunate to have had Mother Nature as such a prevalent influence throughout my life. If I couldn’t be outside, rain, snow, or sunshine, then I spent time marveling over nature documentaries, the Discovery Channel, and fantasy books where adventurers would survive the harsh terrains, letting the words guide my imagination to visualize forests like mine, but imbued with magic. In fact, I never saw much difference between our world and the worlds of myths and fairytales. Our world has always been just as magical if you stop and truly pay attention. We really live in a real-life fantasy world! 

This is what inspires me: walking through the woods and witnessing nature’s real-life magic. I find being in this state of slowness, and in the mindset of searching for more than just what can be perceived, is often a place we arrive either during profound happiness or profound grief. In this state, we see everything as a sign, a symbol, a token of proof that there is so much more to see and experience right here and right now. Is there a way my art can bring that feeling to life? 

A simple leaf is more than meets the eye. It is an oak leaf, reminding you of the oak tree by the cabin your father built, where you and your brother grew up playing and crunching the leaves under your feet. It’s what you noticed on the ground during his funeral and when you went back to the cabin to remember him, the leaves reached out to you as if to say, “I’m still here, but in a different way now”; a sign from another plane of existence. 

The view of the distant mountain is beautiful, but it’s more than that. It’s the view you had after a full day of exploring with your partner, a day of falling deeper in love with them, long conversations, and endorphins from the climb. You weren’t just elevated, you were elated, and now seeing the looming earth surrounded by trees will always remind you of a day you were completely, incandescently happy.  

It’s this feeling I wanted to try and capture on a mug. To elevate a common household object into a work of art we can connect to. It doesn’t need to be too elaborate to be a symbol that you can experience in a tactile way. I love to leave the designs as a matte, unglazed finish so you can feel all the carvings, like the strokes of a paintbrush on a painting. And even with repeated designs, concepts, or themes, every single piece is a unique, free-hand carved work of art. 

I really feel like I’m finding my voice through these mugs. My Trillium Classics Collection is the waypoint or chapter in my artistic journey where I feel like I’m finally able to communicate and connect with others through my creations. Even if something doesn’t speak explicitly to you like I described above, maybe you’ll find a piece that simply stirs something within, adding beauty and craftsmanship to your cupboard. 

Thank you for being here, for witnessing my journey through the lens of artistry. 

Peace and Love,

Heather Mattole