I stumbled upon Soft Earth Ceramics a year ago while browsing ETSY for a new pot for my cactus. I was immediately drawn to the soft tones and simplicity of the pottery. I found the perfect sized planter and knew it was the piece for me. Later I came to find out that the shop owner, Emalee, was based out of my hometown of Pensacola. I quickly followed her on Instagram and hoped one day that I would get the chance to meet her and see more of her beautiful work.
I recently bought another cactus, which shouldn’t be a surprise since I have a plant obsession, and therefore needed a new pot. I purchased one from Soft Earth, and decided to reach out to Emalee to see if I could pick up my purchase in person and visit her new studio. I also asked if I could write a post about her work because of the impact it’s had on me. To my excitement, she agreed to all of it, and we set a date.
I had seen glimpses of the studio on her Instagram but it was even cuter in person. When my sister and I arrived we saw a blue building with white trim that had a bright, cheery vibe to it. Emalee greeted us with a smile and welcomed us in. As she began to show us around, we saw the front room was lined with shelves stocked with ceramics of all nature. Cups, plates, planters and more filled the showroom. I wanted to take all of it home and replace my dining-ware with these handmade pieces. As I looked around, I noticed there was a huge fiddle leaf fig in the corner and some of the planters housed succulents. If Emalee liked plants as much as I do, and this was a good indication she did, then I knew we were going to be friends.
As we passed into the next room, Emalee began to explain the process of her work. I was giddy with excitement when she asked if we wanted a demonstration of using the pottery wheel. I’ve only seen this in videos, and it doesn’t compare to the feeling of watching someone create something before your own eyes. I was mesmerized by the effortlessness as she molded the clay and transformed it into a pot. She made it look so easy, for a second I imagined myself trying the same thing, and then I thought better of it. I would probably end up a muddy mess with clay strewn on the walls.
I asked if making pottery is relaxing and she told me that it’s one of the most therapeutic activities. She can spend hours at the wheel, losing track of time and producing item after item. I knew what she was talking about because I felt the same about painting. It’s not only Emalee’s work that amazes me but her desire to leave as little of an environmental footprint as possible. She recycles her clay scraps and will later use them on a new project. She goes above and beyond to ensure all her packaging materials are recyclable, even the tape!
The Comments
Alisa Edwards
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great. I don’t know who you are but definitely you are going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
sienaneal
Alisa EdwardsHi Alisa, thank you for your kind words! Have a great day.