Sunday Brunch Special: Lana Kessler Pottery

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your indie business.
I’m a Brooklyn born potter who has resided in New Jersey for over 35 years . I’m married and have two grown children. I have a B A degree in graphic design and I have been a potter for the past ten years, Although I do functional work, my true love is in alternative firing. (raku and smoke fire)

2. Where are you located?
Manalapan in Monmouth County, New Jersey

3. How did you come up with your business name?
I use my name only

4. Where do you sell your products?
My pots have been shown in Evolve in Fair Haven, NJ and The Moon and Sixpence in Spring Lake, NJ. and other local galleries. I had an invitational one-woman month-long show at the Monmouth County Main library for the past two years. I sell at the juried Monmouth Festival of the Arts once a year (for the past 8 years) and the State-wide Juried Art Show at the Art Alliance in Red Bank, NJ, (also the past 8 years) where I have also been an award winner. Currently I do five or six craft fairs a year and a group show with a jeweler and weaver right before Christmas season. I am currently working on a website (I was pushed into the computer age Kicking and Screaming) Lana Kessler Pottery

5. Do you belong to any local and/or web groups or affiliations?
I belong to the Arts Council (it runs the Baltimore Craft Fair and others)

6.What inspires you?
Form and shape. Ancient pottery had exquisite form and shape and I find it inspirational. I’m in love with these classic shapes and love to alter them into a modern day mode

7. When you’re not making things, what do you do?
I garden and take care of lots of stray animals, feed birds and squirrels and anything else that might stop by.

8. What would be your dream job?
It would have to be two jobs. One – clay and doing pottery and Two - taking care of stray dogs and cats. When I win the lottery (not if) I will set up a no-kill shelter staffed with vets and kind volunteers.

9. What’s the most difficult aspect of running your biz?
I hate to market myself. I could market other peoples crafts (provided I liked their work), but find it very difficult blowing my own horn.

Ok, now these two are mandatory and I have to ask (this being a diner, after all)

1 What is your favorite meal?
Breakfast – eggs, toast, etc.

2. Do you prefer tea or coffee?
Love coffee – hate tea (even though I make teapots and tea sets)