Staff Feature: Kestrel Sharp
A look into the life of Kestrel Sharp! Kestrel has been at the studio since 2021 and is one of our Studio Techs!
Kestrel (they/them) works in wheel throwing and handbuilding and has a degree in ceramics from VCUarts.
We asked Kestrel a few questions about their life and practice so you can get to know the amazing people who make Hand / Thrown what it is.
HAND / THROWN: Tell us a little about you!
KESTREL SHARP: I originally grew up in New Orleans but after Hurricane Katrina I moved around to different states until my family settled in Northern VA. When it was time to choose where I wanted to go to college, I decided to go to VCU because of its variety of majors (because I wanted to study everything and couldn't commit to just one area to major in haha) and it was still within driving distance to my mom and other friends. I moved to Richmond in 2016 and I have lived here ever since! When the weather permits, I enjoy exploring new hiking spots around Richmond, spending the day at the river in the summer, and working in my backyard garden. My favorite place to spend time in RVA is Evergreen Cemetery, a historic black cemetery that is beautifully situated within a forest in the East End. Some of my hobbies include crocheting, foraging for herbs and mushrooms, listening to audiobooks, fixing cars, and birdwatching.
HT: Tell us a little bit about the style of work you enjoy making most!
KS: I feel drawn to bright fun colors and patterns in my work and I like exploring how I can achieve that through different surface treatments. Patterns I see in my everyday life show up in my work, and more recently Ive been drawn to the way color and pattern are highlighted in traditional quilting, so quilt motifs have been a bigger part of my practice. I enjoy using ceramics as a canvas for illustrative work or a way to tell a story. I tend to gravitate towards making functional mugs and plates because I think tableware should be fun - when I eat I want my mugs and plates to make my meal feel a little more special. And I like the idea of my pieces being used and interacted with by the people who own them.
HT: What originally drew you to working with clay?
KS: I was always curious about working with clay, as I primarily made art with fibers, and I think I met someone at VCU who was a ceramicist, so I signed up for an intro ceramics class to try a new medium. Right off the bat I was frustrated with how hard it was to get a hang of throwing on the wheel and how much time it took to learn each step of the process. Even after taking another ceramics class I still felt like I wasn't making work that I was proud of. But unlike other challenges I've faced, the difficulty made me want to work harder and practice more until I mastered the skills I struggled with. I'm drawn to clay because of the way that the medium challenges me and continually offers new things to learn and new ways to decorate my work.
HT: Where have you studied ceramics, if you have. Or who have you studied with that left a lasting impression?
KS: I studied ceramics in VCU's Craft and Material Studies program and had Blair Clemo as my professor. He taught me so much of what I know about ceramics and fostered my love for the craft! Working at Clayworks, a ceramic supply store in Richmond, has taught me so much about all the clays, materials and equipment that we use and has really helped inform my understanding of the medium.
HT: What is your favorite tool, why?
KS: I love the Sherrill MudTools red silicone rib (Shape 0) because it's small and flexible enough to smooth harder to reach surfaces (inside mugs or the inner bottom of a trimmed piece) and tends to work better on the claybody I use compared to a metal/wood rib - plus it doesn't cut my fingers like a metal rib can :'(
HT: What techniques do you use to create your work?
KS: I primarily wheel throw and enjoy using sgraffito, slip trailing , and mason stained clay to decorate my work. But my 1# my favorite technique is using Mayco's Stroke and Coat glazes in applicator bottles to draw designs/patterns on my pieces. I'm able to achieve bright glossy designs without worrying about it running together too much.
HT: Who are some artists you admire, why?
KS: During my time in VCU's Art Education program, I learned about Robert Lugo and immediately admired his artwork and his social activism. Lugo's ceramic practice highlights themes of poverty, inequity and racial justice while using traditionally European ceramic forms as the backdrop. In addition to his creative practice, he spends a lot of time teaching and doing outreach to bridge the racial/socioeconomic barrier that exists within ceramics to allow historically restricted groups, primarily non-white/working class communities into this art form. As an art educator I admire his pedagogy and discussions about how ceramics can heal trauma, and I appreciate that he offers free pottery workshops in underserved communities to help make ceramics accessible to everyone. In terms of artists that I admire creatively and have inspired me, I really like Jessica Brandl, Michelle Im, Melissa Weiss, Tony Santoyo, and Indigo Cristol to name a few!
Roberto Lugo
HT: What is your favorite thing to do at Hand / Thrown during a shift?
KS: My favorite thing to do during my shift would be loading/unloading the kilns! I get excited seeing all the new greenware projects on the shelves and look forward to seeing the piece glazed and finished. I feel a sense of wonder taking pieces out of the kiln - I marvel at how glazes change and interact on a piece and I get to witness such creative and beautiful results from our students and members. My second favorite thing to do during my Wednesday shift is mix glazes! Glaze chemistry is truly so magical and I love trying to troubleshoot and fix recipes, and I look forward to learning more about material properties and chemical interactions.
HT: Describe your favorite piece of pottery (currently).
KS: My favorite piece is a mug a friend Bre gifted me by the artist Tom Edwards. It's a porcelain mug with a drawing of a dog surrounded by figures dressed in cloaks and written beside them it says "Wally buys a house, skips the fine print on the covenants and finds himself a member of a satanic homeowners' association". I really enjoy the illustration and love the folded, loopy handle.
HT: What’s your sign?
KS: Sagittarius sun, moon, and rising.
To see more of Kestrel’s work, follow them on Instagram.
And follow along for updates about our NCECA show! Where Kestrel will have work on view.