Q&A: Potter Jeremy Ogusky—"I Don’t Aspire To Be a Struggling Artist"

When it comes to Jeremy Ogusky’s art, function is implicit. While he stops short at calling himself an artist—explaining there’s a fine line between a craftsman and artist—his ceramics are something to behold.

Earthy, undulating colors and surprising details are intrinsic to these functional vessels: compost containers, fermenting crocks, espresso cups.

Ogusky recently sat down at —where his custom-made mugs emblazoned with store’s namesake are for sale—to talk about his journey from a career in public health to full-time potter; urban homesteading; and the intersection of localism and consumerism.

Tell me about your work.

More than an artist, I see myself as a craftsperson. I know sometimes it’s a fine line but the stuff that I make is all functional. It’s all useful, utilitarian. The two exist together. Some people consider me an artist, but I think I’m more tied to my medium and the use of my medium, which puts me in more of a craft area.

Tell me about the connection between sustainability and consumerism.

Localism and sustainability are about knowing people who made the item you’re using. It’s also consumerism in a way: knowing that a craftsperson made something that you’re using, that you’re consuming every day. Those are ideas I’m concerned about.

How did you get interested in clay?

I was first involved in clay in high school. My art class instructor brought in a master Korean potter. I watched him work on the wheel for an entire day and I was hooked. I said, “I want to try that.” That was about 25 years ago. I think you recognize somebody’s mastery, and it was like wisdom out of his hands, understanding clay.

What led to starting your own business?

I have former life in public health. I first moved to Boston because I studied public health at Boston University. Throughout college and grad school, I worked with clay… late nights in studio. Then two years ago I lost my job and I saw it as an opportunity. I went from doing it just a little bit at a time to full time. I started my business, built my website, found clients… I’ve been trying all kinds of creative ways to get pots into people’s hands.

How has the transition been?

The transition has been easy in a way. I’ve had a lot of ideas in the back of my head for a long time. I’d been thinking about clay the whole time. I had the energy and ideas. I work in a cooperative studio, , in Brookline. What’s been difficult has been the business. I think when people think about professional artists they think they’re in the studio all the time. I am in the studio all day or most of the day. But the other percent of time I’m doing all the marketing and outreach and bookkeeping.

I’m as much an entrepreneur as I am an artist. Maybe a lot of artists would turn up their noses at that. There’s this ideal of the struggling artist. I don’t aspire to be a struggling artist. I’m not making a killing but I need to survive. This is my full-time job so I have to be an entrepreneur. I have to put myself out there and find new collaborations like City Feed and many others.

Tell me about your other collaborations.

 very soon will be using my mug in its restaurant. I made specific mugs for the restaurant. . . Voltage Coffee & Art in Kendall Square. They’re doing flights of single-source hot chocolate, on wooden boards with six different cups of mine. I worked with them to design a cup that will work with the boar and will also show off the hot chocolate. . . Sweet Basil in Needham. They’re using my bowls and serving ware, and I’ve designed specific forms for them.

Here's a map showing Ogusky's local collaborations.

How does your public health background connect with your work now?

There are a number of ways. The first thing I think about is using things that are sustainable. In a larger way, public health is really about the common good. There are values in public health that stress the health of everyone, the health of the community. . . I’ve thought about how to bring my background more explicitly into pots but I’m not sure how to do that. When I went to Nicaragua with my wife last year, we visited an organization, Potters for Peace, which spearheads projects around the world making ceramic water filters. I’m not sure I want to work for them specifically but I want to figure out ways to pull in my background. I’m not sure how yet.

What informs your work? What inspires you?

Partially the needs, what I think the needs are out there. Also how I want my pots to be used. I think about function. I love to ferment food: sauerkraut, pickles… I make big fermenting crocks. On front, it says “ferment.” On the other side, “foment.”

Similar to that, I make big composting jars. These were inspired by my wife encouraging me to make something beautiful. Like a lot of people I had a big reusable plastic bucket sitting on counter. She said, “Can you design something nice?” So lot of stuff I make is inspired by uses I have.

What about your own pots?

My wife and I have pretty regular potlucks at our house and I love to serve everyone off serving bowls or plates I made. . . I also have [work] made by other potters. I know where it comes from. To me there’s a lot of value in the connection between the vessel, the mug itself, the memories.

About this column: Lesley Mahoney is a writer and editor who lives in Jamaica Plain. When she's not sampling the local fare, she can be found jogging around Jamaica Pond, walking in the Arboretum or taking the 39 bus. Her column runs the first Tuesday of each month.