In the studio with Lauren Aitken

With a long background in the hospitality industry, this ceramicist knows how to combine form and function in her pieces.

Who are you?

Hi! My name is Lauren Aitken and I work making functional minimalist ceramics in Kingston, New York, in the Hudson Valley (about two hours north of NYC). I grew up in Accord (a short drive from Kingston) and went on to get a BFA and a teaching degree, but quickly got pretty involved in the restaurant industry leading me to spend six wonderful years on a super tiny island in the Caribbean called Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

I moved back to the States about four and a half years ago and started getting back into making ceramics while running larger hospitality projects and consulting on small industry start-ups in the area. Now I make ceramics almost full-time.

Photography: Samantha June-Arius Photography

How does your hospitality experience work into your practice as a ceramicist?

In my practice I consider the design of the object but also how and where it will be used. There is a lot of thought about what will be eaten off of a plate, where they will be stored or stacked, the colour and finish, how my utensil feels moving across it, etc.

The entire experience of using that object has to be satisfying – from the shape and feel of a mug handle to what the rim of it feels like pressed against your lips, to how what you’re drinking makes its way into your mouth. Every bit is important.

My favourite thing is to share a meal with friends, and since I’ve been working in and running restaurants for the past 18 years, I’ve come to know a thing or two!

I believe a synergy is created between the details of the object, food, chef, person dining, and the space where all of these elements come together for a comprehensive eating experience.

What begins is a full circle loop that connects the clay dug from the ground to make the plate, the produce grown in the soil, the chef that transforms that produce into a meal, and the finished plate the meal ends up on.

That meal and object begin this beautiful conversation with one another that eventually continues between the people dining and enjoying that meal.

What inspires your designs?

Something I talk about often is the balance between beauty and utility. For me, the objects I make are the ones I would want to use. They are beautiful as stand-alone objects, but the real magic happens when they function the way they were intended to – a mug filled with your favourite hot beverage or a vase filled with fresh cut flowers. I believe an object can be both functional and beautiful at the same time and that they are meant to be used everyday.

“I consider the design of the object but also how and where it will be used.”

How do you find the right stockists to work with?

To be completely honest, many of my stockists found my work. But what I would say is if you are looking to get your work into a retail setting, go visit the store! Look at who else they carry – which other brands and makers – and do some research. What are their practices? Is there a theme to their store and does your work genuinely fit in (style, colour, price point)?

I would also suggest having a wholesale sheet available before you contact them – they most likely will ask for this afterwards. Keep this super simple and have high resolution images. Also hold true to your pricing –  ceramics is a multi-step, complicated process and your prices should reflect that,
as well as how many years it’s taken you to get to the place you are.

Is there anyone that has had a particular influence in your work?

Eva Zeisel, hands down. I first saw her work when I was an undergrad and I fell in love with the simplicity of each design but also how extremely smart and beautiful they were. The pieces all work together and there is this conversational dance that happens when multiple pieces are put together on a table. It’s stunning.

Photography: Samantha June-Arius Photography

What’s next for Lauren Aitken Ceramics?

Wow, so much! For the past 10 months I have been working on a separate project with my new business partner and we are opening a contemporary art gallery and ceramic slip casting production studio called Headstone.

We were fortunate enough to partner with friends to renovate an 1850s barn that once housed a monument/memorial factory. We will be showing solo and two-person exhibitions and are currently booked for two years. The studio side will be a casting studio for other designers to have ceramic objects made in smaller production runs. We have some amazing projects booked for this year!

It will also be my new studio space which I am thrilled about – it is my dream studio.

What advice do you have for fellow makers?

The biggest thing that has helped me shift jobs and careers in the past 15 years is that everything you’ve ever done can somehow be applied to the thing you are chasing or going after – you just have to look at it creatively. If you’ve worked in a restaurant, you’re likely good at multitasking, working under pressure, figuring out creative ways to balance it all, and have great customer service skills. Everything is always applicable. Dream big.

Also, be kind – have empathy and compassion because life is hard for everyone at some point.

@laceramicstudio
Kingston, United States