Tacoma potter phile shows the power of dreaming how to make a difference

Artist phile of Phi Pottery grew up in Vancouver, Washington, and lived in Seattle for 14 years. In 2017, they moved to Tacoma.

“Ceramics is my profession, and I call myself a potter,” le says. “To me, being a potter is about uplifting everyday rituals, to give them meaning and to affirm the existence of nature in everything. We take the earth and spin it into endless forms that help us process, store and serve nourishment to our loved ones . As a profession, it has led me to caring for others in a way that I did not expect — to want stability and space for all.”

Choosing to situate the studio at phi’s home instead of a commercial space meant no stress about being stuck in a lease that no longer served their purposes.

“When the pandemic hit,” le says, “I felt so lucky to have made this choice. I wanted a studio where the clay was free, the space inviting and the access would be geared toward people of color. There are plenty of clay studios in the PNW, but we’re the first to intentionally state that we are here to support Black, Indigenous and POC artists.”

“We are also the first to do business from that standpoint: the classes are sliding scale, there are priority registration periods for BIPOC, and we honor every request for a BIPOC scholarship. There are four other instructors here besides myself, and they each have their unique perspective on what it means to make with clay.”

This spring, a “clay challenge” will take place on YouTube, featuring eight to nine main challengers as they work on a variety of projects meant to inspire the artists by asking them to try new things — together.

“Part of the show will be collaborative, and part of it will be individual,” le shares. “I think the power in this show will be seeing how the different folks handle the learning curves and utilize their existent skills to tackle problems.”

Nobody will get eliminated from the show, yet there will be a winner of $5,000, decided by the three main judges, Katie Marks, Kristina Batiste, and phi, as well as a cast of guest judges and votes from social media. They’re hoping to raise money to help their cast travel to Tacoma and film at the studio this summer for public release in the fall. Follow along on Instagram @claychallenge for updates and to support the project.

Through pottery auctions, they raised a total of $34,420 last year, including donation matches, for the Lavender Rights Project.

“We did it with the support of pottery makers and lovers, and we will continue to support this wonderful org,” they say. “I believe that without a permanent level of support, small orgs like this have trouble focusing on their goals. Just like artists, they need funding to enact the changes and programs they wish to affect. I have made a sort of vow to do my best to support an idea with not just my own money, but through my efforts, planning and labor as well.”

They redistribute funds collected across the clay art community. To this end, le created an auction project that has far exceeded their expectations on what community interest can achieve.

“The premise is that we put up donated art for sale, and all the funds are donated directly to the org,” they explain. “It’s a habit-building incentive to remind folks to budget their income to give back. For me, I’m proud to see my work out in the world this way — for a cause, to make change and to raise awareness that we can all do something like this, in every sphere of influence we hold.”

To help support le’s work and causes, they say, “Please share the word, follow on Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel, donate directly, and dream up what you can do for your neighborhood. We’re in this together!” (Find all links listed here.)

Corinne is a freelancer for Seattle Refined. Follow her work and adventures here.