Making Mugs: From student to teacher

Published 6:38 pm Tuesday, August 15, 2023

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JOHN DAY — Brenna DesJardin’s artistic life took a turn when she discovered pottery after moving to John Day.

“I took a beginner’s class in April 2022 and fell in love with pottery,” she said.

Eager to learn more, she practiced throwing on the wheel at Painted Sky Center for the Arts, and eventually opened a business on Etsy and started teaching classes.

“They were the first to treat me as an artist, which meant so much to me,” she said of the staff at Painted Sky.

It gives her a way, she said, to balance art while raising a family.

“It’s been really fun and keeps me connected to myself,” she said.

She’s also created murals, and worked this spring as an artist-in-residence at Humboldt Elementary where she taught kids how to make clay pinch pots.

For her own art, mugs are her specialty.

“Those are definitely my favorite,” she said. “Most people have a favorite mug — I love the ritual of getting up, making coffee and using my favorite mug.”

Plus, it’s functional art.

“I love the idea of having a piece of art in your hand that you can use every day,” she said.

Her business name is Handful Homemade, inspired by the reaction people have to her four young children.

“I always get ‘your hands are full,’” she said. “I felt like it was fitting for our life.”

To find her work, visit Handful Homemade on Instagram and Etsy.

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