ABOUT
The Founders
Ana + Mel
Still Life Ceramics is a studio and brand in Downtown Los Angeles, making functional ceramic art for your everyday life. The studio opened in April 2018 with a handful of orders for restaurants, and a full roster of classes for beginners. Now we stock our shop with our pieces, and the work of local LA artists we love, as well as work with wonderful clients for wholesale orders.
A shared passion for this craft brought us together- a love for the community created through working with clay, the opportunity of working with like minded artists and entrepreneurs, and the constant striving to learn and do more is what turned our passion into a business.
Mel Keedle
In 2014 I moved to Los Angeles from Australia and joined a ceramics studio shortly after. My background in social work led me to work with some amazing organizations in the city, but I always started and ended my days in the studio. It was a perfect landing place for me in a city where I didn't know anyone, and it quickly became my community. Ana and I met there and started working on projects together and dreaming of our own space. My hope was always to create a space for people to build that same community that had taken me in, and to do it in a space where we could also work on our own line of ceramics. I love seeing our pieces in people's homes, and seeing our students and members learn new things and constantly improve and grow.
Ana Henton
I am one of many architects that practice pottery. The similarities of this craft and my studied profession begin with the approach to form and function, choice of design and decoration, and finally style and display. As my architectural design clients learned that I worked on ceramics in my spare time I started seeing more and more commissions for my ceramic work. Meeting Mel and working together was so enjoyable that eventually I started taking in less architecture work and began designing and planning our own studios. I’m happiest when I’m meeting, talking to, working with and learning from other artists and craft people from all over the world.
Still Life Ceramics was featured in The American Museum of Ceramic Art's group show: ‘Making it Work: Production By Design.’
"Making it Work: Production by Design is a complementary exhibition to Discovering Saar Ceramics. It extends the model of the artist/entrepreneur practiced at mid-20th century by Richard Saar into our current culture. Showcased are design collections created by potters pursuing careers in both camps of fine art and industrial art. The featured artists/founders have established ceramic studios and originated elegantly designed production lines of simple, contemporary forms that function beautifully with everyday use."
Our Incredible Team
Gayle
Artist, Studio Manager - DTLA @whateverceramics
Genna
Artist, Studio Manager & Director of Communications
Gina
Artist, Director of Classes
Sasha
Artist Teacher
Jorge
Artist, Glaze and Kiln Manager
Diana
Artist, Content Creator & Studio Tech
Laura
Artist, Studio Tech
Eva
Artist Teacher
Francis
Artist Teacher
Brooke
Artist Teacher
David
Artist Teacher
Christine
Artist Teacher
Claudia
Marjorie
Artist, Studio Assistant
@luridpulp