Part Three: I Quit – Kenesha Sneed

So she quit her day job to focus on her stoneware ceramics line, Tactile Matter. The desert-inspired wheel-thrown ceramics, which she makes in her Downtown LA Ceramics Arts District studio, have a definite West Coast vibe. Starting to sell online and engage in creative collaborations before she quit was good preparation for the success to come: “Having that exposure was a huge push and helped encourage me to step out of my comfort zone,” Sneed says.

She still takes on freelance illustration projects, and this year she’s going to be introducing some new printed items alongside her stoneware. What advice would she give her younger self? “Surrounding yourself with people who inspire and encourage you is one of the best ways to learn and be a better you. When I was younger all I wanted to do was sit at a desk and draw, tuning out the world at any chance. In some ways, that helped develop some of the skills I use today but in many ways it made communicating ideas difficult and made exposure terrifying,” Sneed says. “Now, the relationships I have with friends and peers are a huge part of who I am personally and creatively. At times when I feel not so creative or need some good advice, having that support is so important.”