Scarlett Mae Schmidt
I am a Brooklyn-based designer who puts an emphasis on sustainability and slow-making practices. I have been interested in art and design for as long as I can remember, originally getting my start in the world of making with charcoal realism portraits in middle school. My interest very quickly developed in the direction of art in the form of functional goods, as I started bonding with my father over mid-century modern furniture. Around this time, I was introduced to the medium of ceramics, which I quickly fell in love with, as the gratification of putting so much love and time into something that wasn't just an idea, and was something I could actually use in my day-to-day life, felt very real. Clay as a medium has been a part of my everyday life ever since.
Over the years, I have worked in several ceramic studios in various positions. I have worked in production, sales, as a technician, and as a teacher, and have learned to connect with ceramics in a way that is all-consuming. My love for the medium has deeply inspired the way in which I interact with it in my making practices. I mostly use hand-building techniques as a way to be more intentional with my forms. I like my pieces to be visibly handmade, having imperfections and varying slightly from piece to piece, as I want my audience to connect with me and the materials I'm using. Everything I make is designed to be unique.
Aesthetically, I create works that follow a general theme of intentional imperfection. This visual design philosophy influences the way in which I make as well, often favoring hand tools, natural finishing, and non-mechanical joining processes over more mechanized practices. This allows for my pieces to be more sustainable, which is deeply important to me. I am able to achieve this emphasis on sustainability and materiality in all of my work by focusing on making products that have multifunctional, collapsible, or single-material aspects, as well as reducing waste in my making process by recycling materials.
My experience in the world of design, as well as my passion for natural materials and cohesion, has allowed me to build a world of intentional and unique functional items. I want to create items that invite people to form a deep connection with them, in a way that they aren't able to connect with highly manufactured items. I want my users to feel as though they are as much a part of my process as I am.
Contact: daischmi12@gmail.com