07/08/2026
A studio update! Joanna Gragnani and her family are headed to Spain at the end of the month to soak up the Spanish sun for a year, handing off the reins to me, Erin.
This community has been my sanctuary for the past 2.5 years, largely due to the beautiful community Joanna has so lovingly stewarded and protected. It’s an honor to continue that while she’s away.
Joanna and I have talked a lot about the matriarchy of business and how the current context of capitalism doesn’t offer much space for rest and exploration. As we tried to figure out how to navigate handing off a business, we realized there weren’t many role models to follow, and the internet’s advice was mostly pithy comments about trust and lawyers. But here we were, two mothers with young children, asking one to watch the other’s baby while she took the time she needed.
We clay people never do things alone. We lean on each other to fire kilns for hours, trade glaze recipes, troubleshoot firing problems. It’s no surprise, I suppose, that the potters figured out how to take a gap year and run a business.
For all of you, nothing changes on your end. Same classes, same schedule, same studio you know and love. Just come find me if you need anything!
And don’t worry, she’s not going anywhere forever. Just taking a gap year ☺️
