Rising Stars: Meet Becki Chernoff of PASADENA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Becki Chernoff

Hi Becki, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began my ceramics journey in high school. My art teacher is a potter and he taught a few of us wheel throwing for an advanced art class. From that point on, I was hooked! I then took two free elective ceramics classes during engineering school at RIT. Once I graduated and moved to Detroit to become an automotive engineer, I learned about a great ceramics program at the local community college. I took classes there for 11 years and would go after work to make vases, cups, and bowls in bright colors. When I moved to LA I kept taking ceramics classes on the side while being a vintage Mercedes-Benz car hunter for years. I had always sold my work at little shops and craft fairs, but never thought I’d do it full time. My best friend Jason suggested I become a full time ceramicist years prior. But I honestly thought it would break my body. Fast Forward to 2017 when I joined Xiem Clay Center and had 24 hour access to a clay studio for the first time in my life. I quickly just started making more work and getting more private commissions, my first was for a local granola company gift box. Slowly I got into more and more shops in the area then magically I was doing ceramics full time. I learned that hiking a lot would keep my back in shape to be able to throw many days in a row. Otherwise I don’t know how i’d make it in this very physical vocation that has you bending forward over a potters wheel for so many hours in a day. Currently I have my own studio in Pasadena, CA where I hold open studio sales and shopping by appointment. And as a surprise to myself, I specialize in Dinnerware sets for people’s homes.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My path has been fairly smooth as I’ve always done ceramics simply because I was compelled to. And it wasn’t my main income for my first 18 years in the craft. I think ceramics can be a huge struggle if you start taking classes with an aim to make it your career shortly after learning the basics. I learned so much in community studios, from all the different teachers who had different methods and all the knowledgable potters around me. Some of my skills are learned from potters with much less experience than I have, but they knew one trick or tip that would change the way I throw for the better. I also was lucky enough to take a workshop in the Tuscany region of Italy at La Meridiana.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I seem to thrive making sets of pieces that match. Seeing a stack of plates that I’ve made is pretty satisfying. And especially satisfying is a huge set! I think the larges set I made was 160 pieces for a Rivian Showroom./meeting space. My favorite thing to throw is a vase, because I don’t always set out with a specific goal. I just let the clay tell me what it wants to be.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’m fairly selective about who I will collaborate with. Over the years I’ve only collaborated with two other artists. Adi Goodrich who is an amazing spacial designer and the talented painter, Jon Huck. They are friends of mine and make work I admire. They have each painted on my cups and bowls for short run collections we release about once a year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bxceramics.com
• Instagram: bxceramics

Image Credits
Photo of me standing up in my studio is by Lauren Randolph. Photo of me sitting at my wheel is by Chantal Anderson. The rest are by me.