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Jessica Bottalico | Episode 1227
Living and working in Beacon, NY, Jessica Bottalico completed her BFA at MICA and MFA at Rutgers University. Jessica’s exhibitions include Schweinfurth Art Center, Super Secret Projects, J Cacciola Gallery, Bronx Community College, Zurcher Gallery, Causey Contemporary, Proto Gallery, and Abrons Arts Center. Jessica teaches art to Middle and High School students.
Clay Call
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I really appreciate that there was that point in your journey where you said not that, but this. You basically pivoted and you pivoted well. Someone said, if you’re going to pivot, you must first diagnose the friction. What was the friction you were feeling that was making you want to change directions?
I think the friction was having to rely on my practice that I felt came from like a very personal place. And having my practice be my source of income put way too much pressure on me. I was not good at the business aspect of the whole thing, and I guess I kind of didn’t care enough to get better at it. I have a job that supports me financially and gives me health insurance and all that stuff. So I just kind of decided I’m going to let that be how I make my income and support myself., and then this is going to be where I get my enjoyment from. I was able to separate those two things. And that became really important to me.
Did you care that in the process you were going to be reaching a smaller audience, even to the point of maybe that audience just being you?
I don’t know that I thought much about it. I think it would be one thing if I had products in every store and I had already made a name for myself as a production potter with a with a totally set design style and all of that. I think that that probably would have been really hard to just end. But, because I was just kind of starting to make some money off of selling pottery that I designed and made, I didn’t feel so attached to that part of it. So I just thought, why am I trying to start this business and make art? I’m not a businessperson. I wish I was, but I think coming to terms with that was tricky. I could give anyone advice on their own business, but when it comes to me sitting down and doing a daily Instagram post or something like, it’s just not in my nature.
So it feels like what you’re saying is that you kept what worked for you. Your pivoting meant evolving, not necessarily sabotaging your career.
Yeah. What worked for me was working with Clay and my love for that. And that was kind of where I wanted to go with it.
Was there a sense of identity discomfort? Were you thinking, I’m this, but now I’m becoming that.
I’m not sure if it’s identity discomfort, but I do feel uncomfortable giving up on something. So if I’ve decided I’m going to do this, I usually do it. But I think also it takes a lot to recognize when you’re just not good at something. I wasn’t… I can make a nice mug, but I can’t make 20 nice mugs in a day. And I think coming to terms with that was maybe a little disappointing for me that I wasn’t that person that I was hoping that I would kind of turn into. But yeah, I’m not too upset by it.
So you have to approach a good pivot with a certain sense of honesty?
Yes. I think there’s always, for an artist, for a maker, you have to be self-aware. And it can be very humbling sometimes. But yeah, I think that in this case, it worked very well for me. I wasn’t enjoying myself in my studio. And so that felt not great. So I wanted this place to be like my sanctuary. So and that’s kind of what it’s become.
When you’re making, do you listen to something as a background noise?
Oh, it’s so embarrassing. I do. I listen to a lot of podcasts, a lot of true crime. And I’m like cringing because I’m so embarrassed that I fit this cliche of women who relax through listening to true crime. But yeah, I love to listen to a story that’s like just takes me out of my my head and my process and just, you know, my hands can do the thinking for me and my mind is someplace else a little bit.
Book
Through Line by Ruth Asawa
Contact
Instagram: @jessbottalico