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I stumbled upon Allison Fretheim's Instagram page a couple of yeas ago & was in completely in awe of her unique work. I obviously loved her many pieces featuring hand-painted real gold Moon's & once I finally got my hands on one of her mugs I was even more in love. Each piece feels so delicate & light weight but they are totally durable enough for everyday use.I am so very excited to announce our Grounding Abundance Kits featuring her Moon Phase dish & even more excited for the opportunity to interview her & share more of her story with the world.
When did you first start making pieces?
I first started learning to make ceramics about six years ago. I studied at the University of Northern Iowa and earned a B.A. in Studio Arts with a ceramics emphasis.
How long does it take you to complete a piece / what’s the time line for a complete shop update?
It can take me anywhere between 20-45 minutes in total to finish a single piece. That time gets stretched out across each phase of the making process. Every piece is thrown on the wheel or sculpted, carved and decorated with black line work while wet, then bisque fired, dipped in clear glaze, fired a second time, painted with gold luster, and fired a third and final time. It takes about two weeks to make enough wet work to fill my kiln for a bisque firing and each of the three firings takes around 24 hours to heat up and cool down. I update my Etsy shop at least once a month!
What’s your favorite drink to make yourself in one of your beautiful mugs?
All the pottery that comes from my studio is powered by coffee!
Is this your full time role & do you have any help?
Ceramics is my full time gig! I'm the one making, firing, photographing, packing and shipping all the pots from my home studio. My husband, Paul, helps with some of the business logistics on the side and our mini dog Oscar keeps me company in the studio!
What inspires you to keep creating & sharing your work with the world?
The feeling of being inside the process. People say making pottery is like meditating and they're not kidding! When I'm making I can shut down my active mind and focus on quieting myself, connecting with my guides, and practice feeling energy around me. While I'm working on my own spiritual development I'm ALSO programming my ceramics with that same energy. It's my hope when my ceramics make it your way you feel spiritually supported on your own journey! That feeling keeps me energized to always be making!
What’s your favorite phase of the Moon?
I feel most connected to the New Moon! I'm a notorious big dreamer and LOVE setting fresh goals.
-- Thank you so much Allison for sharing your work with the world!
You can find her website here, her etsy shop here, her instagram here & our Ground into Abundance Kits here.