Jennifer Carden is an artist whose creative journey has spanned multiple disciplines, from her beginnings in high school pottery to a successful career as a chef, food stylist, cookbook author, and now full-time ceramic artist. Her work is deeply personal, blending the functional with the sculptural, and reflecting the diverse experiences and emotions she’s navigated throughout her life.
Whether she’s drawing inspiration from the natural textures of moss and ferns in Northern California or experimenting with complex glaze chemistry, Jennifer brings a unique sense of freedom and fluidity to her craft.
Having returned to pottery after a long hiatus, she has embraced imperfection and found new ways to express her artistic vision. In this interview, Jennifer shares how her varied career, personal challenges, and love of nature have shaped her path as an artist, and how she continues to evolve through her work…
What was it about pottery that captivated you in high school, and how did those early experiences—like helping your mom with unfired pottery or competing in “Feats of Clay”—shape your artistic vision?
I’ve always loved anything creative; making something from nothing is very satisfying. As a kid, I spent hours helping my mom smooth the seams on unfired pottery. In high school, our art teacher was a potter, so pottery naturally became a focus in our classes. Pottery gave me a sense of accomplishment and confidence in school, especially since I wasn’t as interested in other subjects.
After taking a long break from ceramics, what was it like returning to the medium after so many years? Did the time away change how you approached the creative process?
I never thought I’d touch clay again, but like many during 2020, I was searching for something to take my mind off the pandemic. I had gone in a completely different direction with my life. Sitting at the wheel again felt like coming home—I hadn’t realized how much I missed the tactile quality of clay. As a person, I can get swept up in the daily grind and forget what feeds my soul.
My approach to pottery has definitely matured since I last worked with clay. Spending years building a family and pursuing other careers has unexpectedly given me a new sense of freedom and patience in my art. I used to try to control my creativity, which made it rigid, especially when I worked in food styling. I always wished I could be more relaxed, but that job didn’t allow for that kind of fluidity. When I returned to pottery, I saw it as a chance to break away from my perfectionist tendencies.
You’ve had a diverse career—from chef and food stylist to cookbook author and spokesperson. How have each of these roles informed how you approach your pottery today?
Yes, I’ve definitely worn many hats, and I’ve loved all of them. I thrive on new challenges. As a chef, you learn efficiency and how to think on your feet—skills that come in handy with pottery. As you learn new techniques and streamline your process, you need that same critical thinking. Though pottery is slower than a kitchen, the mental process is similar.
Food styling, on the other hand, is precise and planned, which is very different from how I approach pottery. It’s usually about following an art director’s plan with a team of creatives, which often made me nervous. Later, when I worked with my husband, we had more freedom to make our own creative decisions, which I enjoyed much more.
Creating my cookbooks, like pottery, was freeform. While I had a framework, the ideas were my own, which allowed for a more relaxed creative process.
Your “fuck pots” emerged from a deeply challenging period in your life. How did channeling your emotions into your art help you navigate those difficult times, and what did you discover about yourself through that process?
As a parent or caregiver, it’s natural to suppress your own feelings and “stuff them down,” as we say in our house. In March 2022, COVID deaths had exceeded one million, and in fall 2021, our daughter became ill with Ulcerative Colitis. I made my first “F-Bomb” pot in February 2022—a mix of sadness, frustration, and rage led me to stamp those four letters onto one of my prettier pots.
What was the inspiration behind setting up your pottery studio in a camper? How did the space itself influence your creativity and process?
We didn’t have room in our house for a studio, and I knew that working in an off-site studio wouldn’t suit me—I need to create when inspiration hits. In our previous home, I had a vintage camper as my office and loved it. So, my husband found a perfect camper on Craigslist. I removed the bed and table, added some shelves, and set up a potter’s wheel. There’s no running water, but I make do. I bought a small kiln and set it up in the garage, though I’ve since upgraded to a larger one.
The camper’s tiny space actually enhances my focus; there’s almost no room for distractions. The only place to sit is at the wheel, so it naturally keeps me in the creative zone.
Coming full circle with glazes and chemistry, how does it feel to reconnect with a subject like math, which you once avoided, and now find it fuelling your artistic vision?
Math has always been challenging for me, and chemistry was almost impossible. But I really wanted to create my own glazes, especially textured ones that are harder to achieve with pre-made glazes. I had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up for an online glaze-making class with Matt Katz. Learning about molecular weight, the periodic table, and chemical equations was a nightmare, but if I really want to do something, I always find a way. I now have a basic understanding of what I need to create glazes. It has also made me turn to nature for inspiration, especially the vibrant moss on redwood stumps and the textures of coral and earth metals. We’re heading to Ireland soon, and I hope to gain even more inspiration there.
Nature plays a big role in your current work, especially the textures and colours of moss, ferns, and redwoods. How do you go about translating those natural elements into the textures and colours of your glazes?
There are specific combinations of raw materials that create textural glazes. I start with an idea—for instance, I’m currently chasing a white lava glaze that I can manipulate to be smooth, rough, or tinted with color. I’m doing a lot of experimenting right now. I’ll make a few pieces and then move on, always trying to find my voice, but I’m not in a rush.
You’ve mentioned a newfound freedom in embracing imperfection. How has letting go of perfection opened new doors in your creative expression?
For the first time, I don’t feel the need to please anyone with my work. I’m not producing a book for a specific audience or styling a food catalog. My studio is all mine, and I can make anything I want. The beauty of clay is that if something fails or I don’t like it, I can recycle it! As my daughter reminded me, I don’t have to censor myself anymore—I’m working for myself, and if someone loves my work, that’s just a bonus.
Your work is a blend of functional and sculptural pottery. How do you find the balance between creating art that is both beautiful and practical?
I love flowers, so if I can create something interesting that holds flowers, I’m happy. I enjoy making low objects so the flowers can become a continuation of the vessel. My Water Drop series, for instance, can stand alone as an art piece or a functional item. The metallic quality of the glaze and the simplicity of the shapes are interesting enough to stand alone. I do hope to move into more sculptural work someday, but I’m happy with where I am right now.
How did the experience of moving across the country and then dealing with your daughter’s illness influence your artistic outlook? Did it shift how you see your role as an artist, mother, and wife?
In September 2020, we left San Francisco for three months during the fires and the pandemic. We traveled to the East Coast with a dog, two pet rats, and a cello! It felt great to get away from the smoke and be in a more rural setting for a while. Claire was able to attend school via Zoom. My husband suggested I get some clay and a small, cheap potter’s wheel, and that’s when I found my creativity again.
What does it feel like to watch your daughter embark on her own creative journey in London? Has her exploration of costume design inspired or influenced your work in any way?
Watching our daughter move to London and start school as a costume construction student has been amazing. She handled her illness with grace and strength, and she’s built a nice life for herself there. Our whole family is creative, so we constantly share inspiration through Instagram posts or podcasts. I often see things I think might inspire her, and vice versa.
You’ve talked about how pottery quiets your mind and serves as a meditative practice. Do you find parallels between your time in the studio and other passions like yoga or being on the water?
Pottery is definitely meditative for me, especially working on the wheel. Creating vessels with wet clay is the most calming part for me. I also enjoy cleaning up leather-hard clay, smoothing and trimming—it’s one of my favorite tasks. Glazing is less relaxing because it requires more planning and calculation.
Meditation has always been a challenge for me. Our honeymoon was actually our first meditation retreat, and it wasn’t easy. But when I’m throwing pottery, it feels natural, even though it’s its own kind of meditation. Yoga and pottery are similar in that they both require patience and a slow, mindful approach.
How has your marriage to a photographer shaped your artistic journey? Do you and Matthew collaborate creatively, or do you find yourselves more inspired by each other’s independent projects?
Matthew and I worked together for 20 years doing food photography. We collaborated on many amazing projects. It took him about ten years to transition from his commercial photography business to being a full-time artist, and I’ve worked with him in both capacities. He influenced me for many years, and I spent a lot of time wishing I could be an artist like him. We’ve always tried to support and inspire each other to stay creative. Now that our daughter is pursuing her own interests, it’s become a reality for me. We had a dream of both being artists, and now we’re doing that!
You’ve lived on both coasts and traveled extensively. How do your surroundings influence your work, whether it’s the forests of Northern California or the experience of living in different places?
I’ve lived in California longer than anywhere else, and I call it home. I’m deeply influenced by the water and the trees. The best thing about where I live now is the fog—it’s always shifting, and the sky is constantly changing. Growing up in Upstate New York was similar, with the way rain comes down the lake and changes the sky and water reflections. I’m not sure if this directly impacts my work, but it does make me think about movement and color.
We recently went to Sweden and the Arctic Circle, and the interiors and pottery in Sweden were very inspiring. The blue ice and white snow gave me some much-needed inspiration as well.
You’ve mastered so many creative mediums throughout your life. What do you think pottery gives you that other forms of art haven’t? Is there something particularly special about working with your hands in clay?
Working with my hands has always been important to me. From making mud pies as a kid to doing bronze sculpture in college, I love to get dirty and feel the medium. I’m drawn to fire and the way it transforms materials—whether grilling food or turning mud and sand into glass in the kiln.
Interior design, flower arranging, fashion—how do these interests outside of pottery feed into your work? Do they ever spark ideas or inspire a specific piece?
Interior design definitely influences me. I like to think of myself as an interior-design enthusiast. In Sweden, the pottery and interiors were especially inspiring. Creating something that can stand alone on a table with a beautiful flower arrangement brings me a lot of joy. I definitely nerd out over how light hits an arrangement or how the flowers complement the pottery’s form.
What has it been like to transition from such a fast-paced career in the culinary world to the more reflective practice of pottery? Are there aspects of being a chef that still surface in your day-to-day life?
Being a chef is tough and can be unforgiving for a creative person working in a high-pressure kitchen environment. You have to blend in with the strong personalities. Over time, I transitioned from working with my husband to pottery, taking small steps away from the culinary world. Pottery, in many ways, is like working in a kitchen—timing the drying of pieces, firing schedules, and even glaze-making all involve chemistry and following recipes, similar to cooking.
As someone who has worn many creative hats throughout your life, how do you decide when to focus on one passion or another? Do you find yourself constantly in flux, or is there a natural rhythm to your creativity?
It’s funny because, for many years, I had to focus on one thing, then another, and then another—sometimes scrambling to get work or collaborating with my husband while working on my own projects. It was chaotic! But recently, for the first time, I’ve felt a steady rhythm. Pottery is always on my mind, which is new for me. I returned to clay in 2020, and I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface—there’s so much more I want to do.
Your story is one of resilience, from personal challenges to professional shifts. What keeps you moving forward and continuing to explore new avenues, whether in art or life?
I’m driven and always have the energy for more. I love learning new things and sharing what I learn with others, which keeps me going. I’m lucky to have a family that supports me and all my wild ideas.
What’s next for you? Do you have any specific projects or goals on the horizon, either in your pottery practice or other areas of your life?
What’s next is for me to slow down. I want to take my time and create a body of work with custom glazes that match what I see in my mind. I also volunteer for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation as the chair of the Northern California chapter’s Gala in April.
Our readers love to travel. What destination is at the top of your bucket list?
Japan is at the top of my list. I love the simplicity of Japanese design, and the pottery there is unlike any other—I could learn so much from Japanese pottery techniques. Bali is another destination I’d love to experience. I’m curious about the food and culture, and I’ve booked a yoga retreat with my husband for March at Soul Shine. One of my favorite places is Chablé in the Yucatan Jungle.
What’s your go-to quote when you are lacking motivation?
When I need motivation, I usually turn on some music, like “Come Alive” from The Greatest Showman or Missy Elliott to really get me moving.
Where can people follow you and find out more about your work?
You can follow me on Instagram at @jenCclay and @jencard, or visit my website at www.jencclay.com.
