Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie Wareing
Hi Mackenzie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My New Year’s resolution every year is to learn something new. In 2022, my mom and I took a pottery class together at a local studio as a way to learn a new skill and spend time together. I’ll be honest, I HATED wheel throwing at first. Like most people trying something new for the first time, I was terrible at it! None of my pieces turned out even remotely successful, and I was beyond ready to give up an hour in to our first class; but something clicked the following week, and ever since then I’ve been off to the races! I became a member at the studio and very quickly started making more pieces than my shelves could accommodate. It was so thrilling to find an art form that I was actually good at! My entire life I had been convinced that I wasn’t an artist because I couldn’t draw or paint. Well guess what, eight year old me! Turns out there’s a lot more to being an artist than just drawing photorealistic fruits! Silly girl!
Eight months after my first class, I bought my own pottery wheel and was producing work so quickly that I needed a place to store it all. Enter: my studio! My pride and joy! I built my studio myself with a bunch of 2x4s, plywood, and a dream. I affectionately refer to it as “The Pottery Barn,” and that is where my business, Texas Red Ceramics, was born! I got my business name from the old Marty Robbins song “Big Iron,” in which he refers to an outlaw called “Texas Red,” which felt more than applicable to me, a redheaded Texan! I am now 2.5 years into this journey as an artist and business owner, which is something I never thought I would say! I sell my pieces at local art markets and through social media! I’ve learned so much about myself and what it means to be an artist, and am so grateful to be able to share my art with the world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing in ceramics is ever easy, potters always say “don’t get too attached to a piece until it’s done,” because there is always, ALWAYS, something that can go wrong. Pieces can break, kilns can misfire, glazes can act weird, this is not an art form for the feint of heart, which is something I definitely learned the hard way. Earlier this year, I experienced a particularly devastating misfire that resulted in dozens of pieces being ruined the night before a MAJOR art market. After having a good, long cry over it, I realized that every mistake that I make is a learning opportunity, even though it sucks to regard that much inventory loss as a “learning opportunity.” Pottery is not predictable, no matter how much I try, something will always go wrong; and, while this thought is definitely a major bummer, I find peace in knowing that some things are just out of my control!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the owner, operator, artist, and hands behind Texas Red Ceramics! I specialize in making ceramic pieces that bring joy and function to every day life. I like to say that I see the world through rainbow colored glasses, and I think that comes through in my work. My pieces are fun, colorful, silly, and whimsical! A lot of ceramic work is, understandably, neutral. It’s an organic art form, it only makes sense to make pieces in organic colors. But, that just isn’t my style! I make bright, colorful pieces that bring ME joy, and just have to cross my fingers and hope that they bring other people joy as well. It is always my hope that when people see my pieces in the ~wild~ that they’re able to immediately recognize it as a Texas Red Ceramics original, and think “I bet Mackenzie made that!” There is a little piece of my heart in each and every thing that I make, and also some blood, sweat, and tears; but don’t worry, that all burns off in the kiln. Out of everything that I have made, I would say I am most well known for my “butterfly splash pads,” pieces that I designed specially for pollinator gardens that consist of a shallow water basin adorned with mushroom and flower pedestals that bees and butterflies can stand on to drink water without getting their wings wet. While they’re a great addition to any garden, they also make cute trinket dishes! I also fell head over heels for the Lucky Charm mugs I made earlier this year. Each mug took me roughly 4 hours from start to finish. They’re covered with hand-painted charms, and each one has “You’re my Lucky Charm” written on the inside. I’d definitely consider them a labor of love, but they were the first pieces I made that had me smiling ear-to-ear when I pulled them out of the kiln.
I’ve made countless pieces in the last few years, plenty of which I am pretty proud of, but out of everything, I am really the most proud of myself. I’ve been able to turn my love of ceramics into a self-sustaining business that reflects my personal values and creativity! That’s so cool! Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s really difficult! And I’m stressed out, like, all the time! Through all of it. I strive to be someone that young Mackenzie would look up to, and I think I’ve become her. I’m driven, self-motivated, artistic, joyful, and, most importantly, kind. I am so lucky to be able to share my art with the world, and have it be received with such joy and love.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I should probably answer this was some sort of ceramics related resources, but honestly I don’t really engage with any art- centric media. I religiously listen to Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend when I work, at this point I feel like we’re best friends. Maybe it’s just because we have the same hair color, who knows! When I’m not listening to podcasts, I watch video essays! Or rather, listen to video essays. My grandma always tells me to “never stop learning,” so I take every opportunity that I can to sneak in a little extra education. I figure watching a video essay on Ancient Greek mythology while making pasta bowls is like feeding two birds with one scone! A real win/win if you ask me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://texasredceramics.com
- Instagram: @texasredceramics
