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Samantha Momeyer | Episode 494
Samantha Momeyer is a Pittsburgh born potter. Samantha has worked at Touchstone Center for Arts, was the Pozefsky Fellow at Baltimore Clayworks, and recently completed a two year post bac at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Currently Samanth lives in Helena, MT, and is Tara Wilson’s assistant.
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How far into the future are you looking when you start thinking about the life you want to live? Are you looking 2 years, 3 years, 10 years?
I would say anywhere between five and ten years.
How important is it to grab things from the future and make it concrete today so you have something to work towards?
I feel like when I think about my goals for the future is what really gets me into the studio in the morning. On days where I think, Ah, I don’t really want to go in. I just think, Well do you want that life? And I am like, Yup. And I get in the car and go. Most days. Some days it does not happen.
Tell me about the power of dreaming big.
I think it just helps you cross obstacles that you wouldn’t be able to if you only thought about it month to month or year to year maybe. Like if you dream big and like I said before if you just don’t take no for an answer. I mean there is obviously some things that can stop you, but you won’t trip over the small obstacles as much.
When you are talking about the future do you use present tense type words to be able to make it more real for yourself or are you always thinking some day?
I guess I am thinking some day but not in the sense of some day I will get to it and never do. I want this to happen.
How important is it to have someone along side of you going in the same direction and at least rooting with you?
It’s been awesome. Even just thinking about the financial struggle, we moved to Alaska together which was really fun. We drove all the way from Baltimore to Alaska and, number one, I probably would not have been able to do that alone. And it has just been really nice, we come home from the studio every day, we talk about clay like total nerds for three hours before we go to sleep, and our life pretty much revolves around ceramics together.
Tell me about the importance of setting goals. Are you a goal setter?
I am a goal setter but it is usually I need to make this many pots by NCECA or okay, I need to get this many good pots to come out of the next few firings to be able to build a portfolio and apply to this. Especially outside of academia I need to set myself deadlines or sometimes you fall a little bit behind.
What kind of support are you receiving from other people besides your partner?
You mean mentors?
Yes.
Tara is really supportive. My parents are supportive even though they think I make paint-your-own pottery. My professor in Alaska, Steve Godfried, really pushed me to make really tight precise work which is really awesome. I have had a really good support network. I have been really lucky.
How important is luck for building a future?
Oh, I think luck is very important. I think it is just hard work and luck.
If you could do anything else other than ceramics would you do it?
Would I do it? I would love to be a professional skateboarder. I’m not as good as I used to be but I still have a ton of fun doing it.
Book
Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Contact:
Etsy: momeyerpottery
Instagram: @momeyerpottery