Meet….Lijo Studio!
My name is Lily Ellison. I am an artist and art educator currently working out of Denver.
I’ve been a creator since I was little. I started my small business, lijo studio, in 2018
when I started to have consistent access to materials and a studio space.
Tell me about your artistic journey. How did you arrive at ceramics?
My path was steered to art early on by my elementary school art teacher. It became more clear that I wanted a career in the art world in high school, encouraged by my art teachers who guided and encouraged me in my creative path.
I went on to study art education, art therapy and ceramics in undergrad. I have been working with clay for 12 years now and teaching art in a variety of capacities for about 6 years.
Clay is my go to method for expression, it’s what comes easiest to me to articulate my ideas.
You also are involved in other disciplines (collage, etc). Do those other forms influence your pottery?
I like to keep my hands on other mediums and work on multiple ideas at once. I find that creating in a variety of disciplines reaches different parts of my brain, as well as, a wider audience.
I am often pulled back to illustration, embroidery, collage, poetry and printmaking. My current body of functional and sculptural ceramic work is heavily influenced by observation and storytelling. My surface design takes on a visual likeness to wood block prints.
What does a day in your life as an artist look like?
I currently work as a studio manager at a pottery studio in RiNo. This allows me the space and the time to develop and create my own work. I spend my day maintaining the studio and balancing my own art practice.
I try to keep my days as routine as possible so I can take risks in my art practice. I love to book my days full, I make an effort to fill time with others’ work, reflection on my own and noticing my surroundings. All things that feed into my artistic voice.
We’re entering a new year and new market season. Any goals for your work or your business for this year?
This past year I feel like I have finally settled in a style with my functional ceramic work. I would love to really play into that and see how far I can take it. I hope to make as much as I can and get it into the hands of others.
I’d also love to grow the social media following and maybe host some more community art workshops. It would also be cool to show some of my sculptural work in galleries this year.
What do markets mean to you as a small business? What is your favorite part of doing markets/least favorite part?
I think there is such a powerful point of community and connection that happens during local markets. To be able to share your work with other people and send it off to new homes. It’s an opportunity to share your voice and hear why your work might resonate with someone else.
It’s almost intimate to showcase your art and have someone recognize it, interpret it and decide they want it to go home with them. I often think about how many mugs I have sold and how many people drink their morning coffee out of something my hands put such time and effort into. I think that is my favorite part. Along with being a part of the community of makers and witnessing everyone’s heart on display.
For more information about lijo studio, check out their website, or their instagram.
And don’t miss Collage Club for community collage meetups!
