Author: shelbyroberie

Hello everyone!

I’d like to wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Also, today is the last day for my Valentine’s Giveaway! For every online order of $35 or more, you will receive a FREE pair of handmade earrings!

Click the link in the “Shop” tab to visit my Etsy store and get your free pair of earrings!

Hello everyone!

Today’s post will be short and sweet: my online shop will be opening soon. Hopefully next week! I’ll post an update to let you know when it is open, but you can click the “follow” button below this post to receive emails when my website is updated.

Without further ado, here are some images of a few things that will be available to purchase soon:

Also, the first five people to purchase any item from my online shop will be entered to win a free espresso mug!

Thank you for reading and I hope you find something you love in my new shop!

Happy New Year!

As we reach the very beginning of 2019, I wanted to take a few minutes and think back at the past year. 2018 was a great year full of milestones and memories. But I couldn’t have done it without the help of friends, family, peers, mentors, clients, and many others. In this blog post, I want to thank everyone who helped me have such a successful year. 

Looking back at the year as a whole can be overwhelming, so I’m breaking it down to a list of  major events so that I can thank all the appropriate people. 

In March, I and several other ceramics students were able to participate in NCECA (the National Council of the Education of the Ceramic Arts) in Pittsburgh, PA. This was such an amazing experience. I got to meet ceramic artists from around the world and be completely immersed in all things clay for four days. This experience wouldn’t have been possible without my ceramics professor, Ken Baskin and the rest of the faculty at McNeese State University. 

In May, I was invited to participate in a group exhibition at Imperial Calcasieu Museum called Budding Talents. The show was for McNeese art students who had previously been interns at the museum. This was my first show in a museum setting and I learned so much valuable information for future shows. This show wouldn’t have been possible for the staff at Imperial Calcasieu, so I’d like to send a huge thank you to everyone there.

Over the summer, I was able to participate in the Welsh Farmer’s Market, which opened up doors and expanded my market and clientele. Because of the Farmer’s Market, I was able to work on several commissions and created connections with several local people. The market wouldn’t have even happened without Mrs. Ellen Abshire, so I’d like to say thank you to her and the many people who came out to support our local farmers and craftsmen. 

In July, I had the opportunity to attend Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts for a week-long workshop. It was a life-changing experience where I met and worked alongside many other talented artists. I wouldn’t have been able to attend this workshop without help from the faculty at McNeese State University, the Deb and Bill Mixon Foundation, and the faculty and staff at Arrowmont. There were lots of moving parts and lots of people who made my attending the workshop possible, so I’d like to thank each one. 

Another hugely important thing that happened over the summer was the start of my consignment deal at Mercantile 54 Trading Co. Having my work displayed and available for purchase has been so important and beneficial for growing my brand. For this amazing opportunity, I’d like to thank Ginger Osborn. 

In November came my Senior Thesis Exhibition. I, along with several other senior art students, displayed our final bodies of work produced at McNeese State University. The exhibition was beautifully displayed and the opening went very smoothly. A huge thanks goes out to the department head Lynn Reynolds, as well as the rest of the art department faculty. I’d also like to thank the Enterprise Club of Lake Charles for awarding me a Purchase Award for my ceramic pitcher. 

And of course, last but not least, I graduated in December. After four and a half years of hard work and determination, I can finally say that I am a proud college graduate. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Art (BA) on December 8, 2018. For this, there are many people to thank including all the professors, mentors, and advisors I had over the course of my college experience, the commencement committee, and of course my family and friends for supporting me. 

There are a few others that I would like to thank who do not fit into any particular categories:
•My parents, because without their unconditional love and support, I would not be the person I am today.
•My Grandmother, because she lets me use her shop as my studio rent-free. 
•The rest of my family who have all shown support and encouragement. 
•My fiancé, who encouraged me to switch my major to art in the first place. 
•My church family, who always lift me up and attend my shows. 
•My friends, who push and encourage me to step out of my comfort zone. 
•My former school peers and studio mates, who always made life in the studio enjoyable and who I got to trade ideas and suggestions with. 
•And to you, reading this post. Thank you for spending the time to celebrate the past year with me. 

I hope that this post will inspire you to take a look back at the past year and find gratitude in all things. Thank you again for reading and I hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Hello everyone!

It has been a while since my last blog post, and a lot has happened! As I mentioned in my last post, my senior thesis exhibition took place in November. Since then, I have graduated from McNeese State University with my Bachelor’s in Art and started my first year as a full-time ceramic artist. I have also been working on a new jewelry line that will launch in mid-to-late January. This blog post will include a sneak peek at the new line and some information about what I will be working on in January, so read on!

First things first, I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped me end my last year college on such a high note. So many of my friends and family came to my senior thesis exhibition to see my work and celebrate with me. It was such a great show featuring so many talented artists. I could not have imagined a better group of people to graduate with and show my work alongside.

Shortly after my senior show ended, I graduated from McNeese State University Department of Visual Arts. Another “thank you” is in order for this one, this time to my family, friends, professors, and classmates. I would not be the artist I am today without the help of all of these people. I had a wonderful college experience and cannot imagine it any other way.

Since graduation, I have been working on commissions, restocking my work at Mercantile 54 Trading Co., building inventory for the coming year, and starting my new jewelry line. My new line, pictured below, features sophisticated statement jewelry perfect for parties, lunch dates with friends, or even a typical day at work. This day-to-night line will launch mid-to-late January at Mercantile 54 Trading Co. and online. I will share more details about the line before it launches, however, a few pairs of the earrings shown below are available for purchase at Mercantile 54 Trading Co.

I have much more than just earrings available for purchase at Mercantile 54 Trading Co! My display includes jewelry, pottery, and Christmas ornaments. If you are in the Welsh, Louisiana area, tomorrow (Friday, December 21) is the perfect opportunity to shop. Mercantile 54 Trading Co. and Mr. Clint’s Candy and Curiosities are hosting a Sip & Shop holiday shopping event! Sip & Shop begins at 6pm and will feature drinks, hor d’oeuvres, and complimentary gift wrapping. Stop by and grab some gifts or stocking stuffers for everyone on your list!

The ornaments shown above are all available for purchase.

Last but not least, I’d like to share with you that my work will be featured in a show and sale in January at Historic City Hall in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I will share more details about the show as they come, but it will open on the 25th of January and remain open until April.

Thank you for taking the time to read my third blog post here at Shelby Roberie Ceramics! I appreciate your likes, comments, and shares, and as always, if you have any questions, you can contact me through the “Contact” tab on the homepage of this website.

Until next time,
Shelby

Hi everyone!

Thank you for joining me here for my first post! For those of you who may not know me, my name is Shelby Roberie and I am the artist and maker behind Shelby Roberie Ceramics. I am currently a senior at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I will be graduating this December with a Bachelor’s degree in art with a concentration in ceramics. Over the course of the past year, I have been working towards creating a cohesive dinnerware set that will be displayed along with other graduating art students.

This dinnerware set is completely hand-crafted. The pieces are thrown with porcelain on the potter’s wheel and later surfaced with hand drawn lamb’s ear plants. I draw a lot of my inspiration from plant life, so creating a plant motif on my work seemed natural. The hand drawn designs allow my creativity and art style to show more than a typical glaze would. The lamb’s ear is drawn primarily with dots, so each piece can take up to 45 minutes to surface. This process allows me to put a personal touch on every piece that I create.

My work is created to be as elegant as the fine china that we typically only use on special occasions, but durable enough to be used every day. My goal as an artist is to make work that can be enjoyed during any circumstance, whether you are eating a fine, home-cooked meal or a TV dinner.

This dinnerware set is a year in the making and finally being done with it has been bittersweet. The senior exhibition will be open from November 15th through December 6th in the Abercrombie Gallery in the Shearman Fine Arts building at McNeese.

I have posted all of the images from my senior thesis/exhibition in the “Portfolio” tab on the home page of this website.

Thanks for reading! I can’t wait to continue this journey with you all!

-Shelby Roberie