Lilclaygrl Throws a Curve
Kaylee Weeks, owner of Lilclaygrl, is a ceramic artist based in Petaluma, California. She earned her BA in Ceramic Arts from Sonoma State University in 2019, and her passion for ceramics began in 2015 during an internship with Peter Shire at Echo X Park in Los Angeles. Now working at Kickwheel Sonoma Clay Center, Kaylee creates both functional pottery and sculptural ceramics. Her playful mug handles and glaze work add whimsy to her functional pieces, while her sculptural work emphasizes minimalism and balance.
Made Local: About five years ago you began your ceramics career. Tell us about that moment when you decided to go all in.
Kaylee Weeks: Art was always my path, and finding myself so immediately drawn to ceramics really sealed the deal for me. At the university taking my ceramics classes, I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I held my first pop-up show in Tokyo after I graduated in 2019, and I found so much joy in seeing people admire my work.
ML: You balance practicality with creativity, making artisan pieces that are also functional. For example, the pink latte cups you created for The Bagel Mill are made beautifully so customers feel special but can also withstand the café environment. Why did you choose functional art?
KW: I have always been drawn to the practicality of functional ceramics. It has always felt particularly special to create something that people can use and admire every day. Being able to see my work in other people’s hands is really what it’s all about for me. It doesn’t have the same charm to see something I’ve made hanging on a wall. People will come to me to tell me that they use their Lilclaygrl mug every morning, and it reaffirms why I make things.
ML: It’s not usual to make our own practical items—like cups—these days. Is there a case to be made for making things with our hands, especially things we will use daily? Why do you think you do it?
KW: I am such a tactile person, being able to create and form something with my hands has always been so natural to me. I think that most creators must feel this way, whether with something knit or something painted. I would always encourage someone to try to make something themselves, especially something practical. I think it gives you a new appreciation for the item and also for crafting.
ML: Your work has evolved over the years, and now includes a variety of styles. Tell us how you find inspiration.
KW: I find a lot of inspiration in the little things, noticing a beautiful yellow colored fabric and imaging that color on a teapot, or buying a new clock and then wondering if I could make a clock with bunnies instead of numbers, and then making it! I am inspired by things I have made in the past, or things I had wanted to make but didn’t know how to. Feeling confident in being able to make something better inspires me a lot.
ML: How do you think making art has changed you?
KW: Making art has always been a part of my life; it’s one of the truest ways that I express myself. I don’t think it’s a question of how art has changed me, it’s more about seeing how my art has changed and grown as I have. I think without making art, it would be much more difficult for me to show the world who I am.
ML: What ceramic projects are you working on right now?
KW: I am working on a number of projects at the moment in preparation for the holidays, lots of new mugs and functional wares. I’m also experimenting with larger hand built pieces that I’m really looking forward to sharing with people. Despite all the new things I am working on, you can still expect to find lots of bunny mugs and tomato mugs.
ML: What workshops are you teaching in the next few months?
KW: I am teaching a Friday morning and Sunday morning class at Kickwheel. The classes are 6-week sessions, which will run back to back into 2025 with a short break at the end of the year. My classes are open to all experience levels, and I teach both wheel throwing and hand building.
ML: Where can we find your ceramics?
KW: Right now, I have work at Kickwheel, The Bagel Mill, Petaluma Coffee and Tea, Pennyroyal, and Mario and John’s in Petaluma; Visions in Point Reyes; and Mammoth Coffee Roasting Co. in Mammoth Lakes. I will be at West Coast Craft in San Francisco on November 23 and 24, and the holiday pop-ups at Barn 5400 in Petaluma on November 16 and December 14. My online shop will also be stocked for the holiday season.
KickWheel Sonoma
540-0 Old Redwood Hwy. N, Petaluma