MAKERS | THE AMERICAS | USA | CERAMICS

 

Rebekah Miles | Ceramicist


 

Rebekah Miles works from a studio on her family’s avocado ranch where the mountains meet the sea in Carpinteria, California. Hailing from a creative family, Rebekah’s inspiration comes from the natural world around her, be it a book cover her 8-year-old daughter has brought home (Nancy Drew), or the passion fruit flowers that emerge come Springtime… Everything is seen through her unique prism and translated tenderly, by hand, onto clay vessels, platters, mugs, plates and even lamp bases.

How did you begin?

I took my first painting classes at Scripps College, and made paintings for about 10 years before I discovered painting on clay. Scripps has an incredible ceramics program and a legendary collection of California ceramic works, yet I hadn’t tapped into that as part of my work at that time.

Between the time I was making two-dimensional paintings and when I started making ceramics I was making one-of-a-kind hand painted book jackets. I loved the idea of painting something that was "functional" and "sculptural" (the books) and when I had the chance to experiment with ceramics I found that it filled this same thing for me.

How did you learn?

I mostly taught myself how to do ceramics. I took my first classes at an Adult Education Center, emphasizing the class part being optional. I didn't learn the wheel, but instead worked on using the space to teach myself handbuilding and pick up tips from the older ceramicists when I needed help figuring something out.

 

 

How do you plan, prepare and create your works? 

I usually start with an idea for one or two pieces I want to make for a new capsule. Something about this one idea will be strong enough to fuel inspiration about what I'd like to pair with it. Every capsule has a combination of new and recurring motifs. For example, I knew I wanted to do more cowboy boot dishes, and also had an idea for a new piece inspired by Nancy Drew "The Secret of Shadow Ranch". I painted this piece and then thought about some of my trout pieces, as an "outdoorsmen" inspired capsule.

Once I see my ideas coming together I will sketch a variety of plates and platters with the various motifs and shapes I want to use. I'll make notes about colors I want to use and clay treatments- any details that come to me that I think will work well. Some get scratched in the end, but once ideas start to snowball I find it useful to get them all down on paper and see what actually shapes up in clay. I also try to always keep an inventory of blank pieces in the works, since this part of the process takes weeks of drying before their first firing.

Who or what most influences your work?

I am most influenced by the natural world. I work from my home which I share with my 8 year-old daughter Inez and our little dog Tulip. Our home is on my family's avocado ranch two miles from the beach in the foothills of the mountains, where my parents also have their horses and mules. In short, they are all my muses - the ocean, my daughter, and all of the surrounding nature.

What does a typical day look like?

I take my daughter and my nieces to school, take my dog for a walk, answer emails and begin whatever stage of work is next in the process. It could be shaping clay, painting, or glazing. A few mornings a week I will also do an exercise class, and inevitably there are life appointments and events that come up. But on a clear work day I will work for 6 hours or so, usually listening to a book or podcasts to keep me company. Studio time is mostly solitary, but it flies by too.

One more thing... An object you cherish? 

I have an ashtray my mom made when she was a kid- she painted it with egyptian hieroglyphic symbols, but so sweetly in her 10 year-old way. And she wrote her initials on the bottom along with "Zorro" and "Ford". I grew up looking at it, and I love that I still get to see it among my special objects.

 

 

Interview and images by Leela Cyd

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