INTERVIEW WITH TOLEDO ARTIST MEGHAN YARNELL
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that have day jobs outside of their art and never use lack of time as an excuse not to get out there and produce their life’s work. This post is the second in an 11-part series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series. (See part 1 HERE).
Meghan Yarnell is a junior high art teacher as her fulltime profession. In her free time, she pursues her craft as a ceramics artist. She spent some time as the President of the Toledo Potter’s Guild. Meghan has had her work featured in many shows including Cup: The Intimate Object XIII at the Charlie Cummings Gallery in Gainesville, FL. She is also a wife and mother of two with one on the way.
I wanted to sit down with Meghan and ask a few questions about her craft, how she would respond to those that say ‘quit your day job and chase your dreams,’ and which tools in life have helped push her art forward.
MEGHAN YARNELL Artist
What has your art provided in life that is a tank filler for you?
I find some of my identity in being an artist. Making art excites me in a way that other things can’t. Nothing compares to the excitement of working through a new idea.
What have been some of the significant struggles for you along the way? Did you ever feel like giving up? Do you deal with comparison issues in your art?
Six years ago, my husband bought me a brand new, very expensive kiln for my birthday. The very first time I fired it, it malfunctioned and melted. The entire kiln itself melted like Chernobyl. This event triggered a massive panic/anxiety attack. I felt like a total idiot. I had two big shows to prepare for, and after that, I stopped making pottery for almost four years. Every time I would think about making pottery, I would feel anxiety and panic.
I deal with comparison issues. It’s funny because I’m not a competitive person at all unless it comes to my art. I look at other potters and think that I’ll never be as talented as they are. I can quickly fall into the trap that my successes aren’t good enough.
What do you think about the whole ‘quit your day job and pursue your dreams’?
I like my day job. I think that if I made pottery full time, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. Right now, I look forward to every minute I can spend in my studio. I don’t feel any pressure to create, I just like doing it. I’m excited about ideas and possibilities, and I genuinely enjoy creating. If I had to depend on my pottery more as a source of income, I think I would feel a lot of pressure to produce and work, and it wouldn’t be as enjoyable.
Where do you go to learn more about your art?
I subscribe to lots of pottery magazines, nature magazines, and science magazines. I read a lot. I follow a lot of artists on Instagram and I’m a member of a few pottery groups on Facebook. I’ve been a member of the Toledo Potters Guild (I was the president a few years ago) since graduating from college. I attend workshops and conferences (I’m going to Pittsburgh this month for the National Council for the Education of Ceramic Arts conference).
Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
Potters like Renee LoPresti, Molly Hatch, Julia Galloway, Andrea Denniston, and Jennifer Allen. Artists like Richard Notkin, Banksy, Andy Goldsworthy, Rene Magritte, and MC Escher.
How have you struck a balance between work/family/art?
Ha. There is never enough time. I have to be very creative about finding time to work. I often bring my kids into my studio. They make a giant mess out of play-doh and kinetic sand, and I can get a bit of work done. I have a very supportive family that helps out often. I work during nap times and at night! I am currently expecting my third child which has slowed me down a lot. I haven’t been feeling the greatest, and I’m SO tired. Luckily, this is a slower time of the year for sales, so I’ve been able to catch up after the holidays.
Meghan Yarnell. Perrysburg, Ohio
What is some advice you would give young artists?
Make lots of art, see lots of things, and ask lots of questions.
What skills have you taken from your day job that you’ve been able to use in your craft? How about vice versa?
Since I’m an art teacher, there is a lot of cross-over. I like teaching, and I love helping. That’s one of my favorite aspects of social media. I love sharing parts of my process and answering questions. I do a ceramics project with my 8th graders that incorporate a lot of the surface design techniques that I use on my pottery.
A lot of art is what you leave out, do you find this to be true in ceramics? How do you practice restraint?
When working on a new design, I tend to include too much information at first. I read an article about the weed killer 2,4 D. I wanted to do something with nitrogen atoms, the chemical formula for 2, 4D, grass, and dandelions. The first designs were cluttered and confusing. I found that I could say the same thing without the nitrogen atoms and chemical formula. The newer design is much cleaner.
More images on my website: www.meghcallie.com