Rachel Sherrill's pottery is designed to feel Western.
Rachel Sherrill of Studio RK relies on intuition to make her handmade pottery. Her mugs sport designs that are reminiscent of the West and Southwest: saguaro cactus, the state of Texas, a silhouette of a horse and rider, your very own ranch brand among them. When she gets inspired in her studio in Maypearl, Texas, studio, she just goes with it. “Something special happens,” she says. “Not only do your creative juices start flowing at turbo speed, but your confidence skyrockets, and all of a sudden there’s not anything you can’t do."
Cowboys & Indians: How do handcrafted items impact a home?
Rachel Sherrill: As an artist, I can usually spot handmade items from a mile away. Handmade isn’t perfect, and there’s a spirit that goes into making handmade that seems to radiate off the piece itself.
C&I: How about a tip for where to place handmade goods?
Sherrill: I’m a big fan of contrast, so if you have a big, crisp white kitchen, throw some handmade dishes into the mix to create beautiful contrast and character.
C&I: How do you get your pottery to evoke a Western and Southwestern vibe?
Sherrill: Some of the glazing techniques I use and some of my shapes have a Southwest flair. I tend to use a lot of saguaro cactus images when I glaze — they’re majestic and almost surreal. I like creating with other Southwest designs, too, such as tribal and Aztec designs, bison, and thunderbirds, along with Western lifestyle things like barns, windmills, and livestock.
C&I: We especially love the mugs with the brands on them.
Sherrill: Thanks! The custom brand mugs have ranches' actual brands on them. People send in an image of their ranch brand and I design that onto the pottery. Folks love that for the handcrafted quality and for the unique and really personal nature of having your very own brand on your mug. It's something special. The cattle-brand mugs and my utensil crock are bestsellers.
For more information on how to purchase from Studio RK, head over to their website here.
