Meet Rae Wilson | Ceramic & Floral Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rae Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rae, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Success is measured differently by everyone based on our goals. To me the most important factor behind success is staying true to myself. I also believe success is not necessarily an end point but a continuous journey, always shifting. This is why I relate to the mediums of clay and flora so intensely.

Clay is first sculpted into an idea, and if that idea forms the way you want then it moves to the next stage. It is fired through one round in the kiln and if it is still intact you move on. In some iterations it has not remained intact but it has shifted paths… So you carry on and add glaze or a second layer and run it through the second firing. After pulling it out of the second firing you can even run it through a third or fourth firing! Otherwise, there is your idea, in solid form… but the journey continues on. The idea is placed on a shelf, wall, ceiling, outside, inside, wherever you decide. Sometime’s the idea breaks and so you reassemble it or retire it and start with a new one. And this is only one journey of clay… sometimes you don’t even fire it! Same with flowers. You grow it from seed, cut it, place it, water it, let it whither, hang it to dry to continue its journey or save the seeds to start the cycle again creating a new iteration and journey!

I try not to bring fear into the equation but I do get nervous about boxing myself into a specific medium or version of what I am selling. So when I think about what success means in my work, I think about the freedom of time to experiment and play; creating new glazes and forms and even experimenting with different materials outside of clay and flora. I can’t have the freedom of time without money (hi capitalism). I am currently on a journey to find this balance and although some days feel less successful than others, I am slowly and diligently integrating things into my life that contribute to my vision, all while trying to stay true to myself!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I arrived to where I’m at today by remaining open to opportunities and exploration. I’ve done many an odd job from spackling art walls to restaurants to working as a bench jeweler to organizing closets of tools. Often these jobs were held simultaneously! I’ve had my hands in clay since 2014 but became more serious about my practice in 2018 slowly building my technique and studio. Along the way I’ve learned, and am still learning, how to create boundaries and time to take care of my mind and body. The work I do with clay and flowers can be extremely physical and taxing. I often joke that 80% of what I do is moving heavy buckets and equipment and cleaning, while 20% is actually creating (also not included in this pie chart is all the admin work!).
But I love what I do and the joy that clay brings me and I think it is inherently present in the work I make.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in New York state and haven’t been to LA in a long time, but I will be visiting in November for a group show hosted by Lobster Club. I’m excited to have a little ocean time, eat some good food, see friends and possibly pick up some flowering jobs. It’s always fun to see the selection at flower markets in other places!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many to name that it would be like an insufferable rolling credit at the end of a giant movie production. The list goes on and continues to build…

My mother has been a number one in my life. We love, support and understand each other with an unbreakable bond full of compassion. She raised me as a single mother, not without a plethora of trials and tribulations, and we have grown together in such a dynamic way. I don’t know what I’d do without her, but I know she has given me the gift of life and taught me how to continue with beauty, grace and laughter.

This translates to my relationships with friends & family. I am lucky to have such a supportive system around me but I also know that I have to put out what I hope to receive. My success rides on the success, support, and encouragement of others. The world is wide and there is so much space for everyone to let their positive ideas live, breathe and expand. I am always inspired and in awe of the accomplishments, big and small, of those around me!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my number one unpaid intern…. My boyfriend! But truly, he is such a big support in my work!

Website: eliraewilson.com

Instagram: eliraewilson

Image Credits
Maria Romero, Rae Wilson